This very morning that I write this message, just minutes ago in fact, God made clear for the second time that what I wanted to do today is NOT His will. In effect, He said NO. Immediately I was at a crossroads. Which way would I go? I believe every time God says NO to something we want, and makes known what His will is instead, we stand at a crossroads.
The most obvious aspect of the crossroads is that we need to decide to do God’s will in loving obedience to Him – or rebel against Him and go our own way.
But this is not all. We also need to decide when we choose to humble ourselves and to do His will whether we will do so with OUR HEARTS, OUR WORDS, AND OUR ACTIONS honoring and glorifying to Him – or not. Will we feel sorry for ourselves, throw a temper tantrum, fall into a depression, get angry at God, follow Him like a two-year-old child dragging our feet, sucking our thumbs, and complaining? Or will we follow Him with genuine love and devotion and make known to Him that it is our honor, privilege, and a blessing to faithfully follow Him wherever He leads us?
Today, in the strength of the Lord Jesus Christ for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, I purpose it in my heart to follow the Lord with love, joy, and thanksgiving – and to repent when I fall short. Far too many times over the years, I have done anything but. I either rebelled against Him altogether. Or I followed Him with a bad, self-pitying attitude.
Now, at long last, I am totally devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ, and I hunger and thirst for righteousness. And I am satisfied and fulfilled not in getting everything I want but in being given the unfathomably wonderful privilege of enjoying a deeply intimate, ever-growing personal relationship with the Lord that comes with a lifestyle of total devotion to Him. A lifestyle of obedience with love, humility, joy, thanksgiving, and repentance when needed is an instrumental part of having such a beautiful, rich, and vibrant intimate relationship with Jesus.
Which way will you go, friend, when you stand at that crossroads? Please choose the right way. God’s way. Obey Him with the right heart. Get rid of any self-pity, complaining, arguing, anger, bitterness, hurt, pride, etc. Follow Jesus with the right heart! Praise the Lord! AMEN!
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:6 NKJV