Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Obedience is the very best way...

I thought that I would take this time to share with you what the Lord has been teaching me recently. I suppose that you would call me a goal oriented person, if I have some where to go or something to do I like to go and do it and not leave it for later, which in most cases I would say is a good thing but when it comes to life and the process of God's work in me it can be frustrating.
I mean if I'm on A and the ultimate goal is Z then lets get through all the other letters as fast as we can so that we finish. That is not God's idea though, he has all those other letters in there for a reason and they are just as important to him as A and Z are.
I was reminded of this truth the other day while reading "My Utmost for his Highest" in my devotions. Oswald Chambers says, "We have an idea that God is leading us to a particular end, a desired goal; He is not. The question of getting to a particular end is a mere incident. What we call the process, God calls the end.
What is my dream of God's purpose? His purpose is that I depend on Him and on His power now. If I stay in the middle of the turmoil calm and unperplexed, that is the end of the purpose of God. If we realize that obedience is the end, then each moment as it comes is precious."
So let me encourage you that no matter what you are going through to give it to him and let him lead you as he wills. Stop and enjoy the process of life and don't always want to rush ahead and get onto the next thing. Well that what I have been learning, I hope that it helps you as much as it did me.

7 comments:

Alice said...

That was beautiful, Joanna! Thank you for sharing; that encouraged me a lot this morning.

Rachel said...

Thanks for sharing this! I have to agree, that this is true, but very hard to live out :)

Naomi Joy said...

Thank you! Hmm. . . do you suppose learning how to be pregnant gracefully is as much an end in God's sight as having the baby? Maybe I need to learn to be obedient even when I can't walk. :-)

Elise said...

That was an awesome post Joanna! It is so basic yet so powerful. Thank you for sharing it.

Rachel said...

Hey one of my absolute favorite quotes from Oswald!!!! I love that and it has been a huge encouragement to me through the years!!! Thanks for sharing what God has been doing in your life!!!

Unknown said...

That sounds like my girl. Thanks for letting your heart spill over to the rest of us.

Anonymous said...

It was so good to read about what you have been learning, and yes it did help me! This was such a timely post for me...as I have been thinking along these lines so much lately. I read that in Oswald Chamber's and it stood out to me so much. I am printing this out to slip in my copy of "My Utmost for His Highest."

love ya, jojo!!!