GOD’S PLANS (part-15)

FOLLOWING GOD’S PLAN FOR OUR LIVES INCREASES OUR CONFIDENCE

BIBLE PASSAGE:
In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because
of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you
will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 1:4-6)

MEDITATION:
Due to the uncertainties in the world today, many people are either
losing, or lacking confidence. There is a growing distrust for those
in leadership positions. The economy is in such a delicate state that
it can rise or fall dramatically in response to any type of event.

The weather is a looming threat to coastal cities with the possibilities
of hurricanes, tsunamis, etc. With the increase of earthquakes and
tornadoes, even the inland areas can be devastated in the blink of  
an eye.

New diseases are being discovered which threaten our health and
have the potential of becoming a widespread epidemic. We could
go on and on, but suffice it to say that there are many factors which
can affect the confidence of people.

Our confidence can be shattered if our focus is not where it should be.
Paul reminds us of some very important factors that can bolster our
confidence. He jogs our memory and reminds us that there is a God,
and He is in control. He also reminds us that the powerful God of the
universe began a work (a good work) in the lives of those who have
become followers of His Son, Jesus.

Anytime God is involved in our lives, we know that whatever He is
doing will benefit us, and others. It is a confidence builder to know
that God considers us important enough to be usable in some way
for what He is doing – His master plan.

Secondly, Paul assures us that God will not leave anything unfinished,
but He will continue what He started in our lives until it is completed.
Knowing that He is with us at all times and will not desert us, is another
confidence builder.

Anticipating what He will do next, helps to remold our thinking and
gives us a new purpose for living. It’s awesome when we realize that
regardless of how we feel about ourselves, God knows our potential
and has initiated the process of utilizing us for His purposes.

For us to become useful, we must be transformed from who we are
into who God wants us to be. Jesus Christ is a renovation artist. He
can take a life that has been stained, and with His transforming
power He can make something beautiful out of it. He can resurrect
our confidence…if we will choose to let Him.

ACTION:
We should ask ourselves this question,
    “Has my confidence level been broken or suppressed?”
Perhaps your focus has been in the wrong direction. Pause for a
moment and realize that if you have surrendered your life to the
Lord, then He has already started a good work in you.

When God rescues us from the sin that has been controlling us, He
begins a transformation process called ‘sanctification’ that purges
us of unrighteousness and fills us with righteousness. Why would
He do that? He does it because He knows our potential and how it
is being suppressed by the sinfulness that is controlling us.

God is executing His plan for you and me on a daily basis so we can
achieve His good purpose through us. When God begins a process,
He will continue until it is completed. We might ask,
    “When will it be completed?”

The scriptures tell us it will be finished when we see Jesus Christ.
That makes it clear that God’s transformation of each of us will
be complete when our earthly life is over. So, what does that mean
for us? It means God is constantly molding us into a righteous
person who is useful for His purposes.

Being honest, we may look back on our sinful mistakes and think
that we have blown our opportunity for God to use us. But when
we look back, we can become discouraged and more difficult to be
transformed.

One of the greatest challenges for us is to understand God’s rationale 
for the things He does and doesn’t do. We might think,
    “I know the magnitude of the sins in my life and
      God does too, so how could He possibly use me?”

He can do it, because He is God and we’re not. Think about this:
    Both God and us want what is best for us, right?
    That means we both have ideas for achieving what
    is best, but our plans can be quite different. God’s
    plans are divine and complete, but ours are limited
    by our human capacities. However, they both work
    together because God knows our plans and we have
    faith in His plans, even when they are difficult for us
    to understand. It can be similar to a parent and child
    relationship. Both want safety for the child, but the
    child is not mature or wise enough to understand why
    a parent has placed restrictions on some things he or
    she considers fun activities. When children are grown
    and have children of their own, although they might
    have a different approach than their parents, they can
    understand the efforts of their parents were grounded
    in love and protection, rather than being a fun killer.
    As we become more spiritually mature, we can develop
    a better appreciation of how God’s will and His plans
    for us, are expressions of His love and protection of us.

We should keep our eyes focused ahead on what God has planned for
us which will give us a new and exciting purpose for living. When we
have a purpose for living and we know God is involved, we can have
a boost of confidence that allows Him to continue converting us for
His plans and purposes.

God created us with His plans in mind. It becomes our choice to
surrender our lives to His will, so we will not only allow, but will
embrace His efforts to transform us. We can’t do that if we are
looking back at our failures, which will destroy our confidence
and enthusiasm. We can learn a lesson from when Lot and his
family left Sodom before God destroyed the city. Through His
angels, God warned them about looking back.
    With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying,
    “Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who
    are here, or you will be swept away when the city is
    punished.” When he hesitated, the men grasped his
    hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters
    and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was
    merciful to them. As soon as they had brought them
    out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look
    back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the
    mountains or you will be swept away!”
    (Genesis 19:15-17)

Apparently, Lot and his two daughters heeded the instructions of
the angels to, “Don’t look back”, but for whatever reason his wife
looked back and was rendered useless as a result.
    But Lot’s wife looked back,
    and she became a pillar of salt.
    (Genesis 19:26)

When our conscience causes us to focus on our failures, we too
can be rendered useless for God’s purposes. We need to always
look past those negative thoughts and remember that even when
we think we’ve blown our opportunities to serve the Lord, He is
still confident of our capabilities and what He can do through us.

Ask yourself,
    What good work has He begun in you?

Do you even know His purpose for you? What is the spiritual gift God
has given you? Do you know, and if so, how are you using it? Spend time
reading His Word and asking Him in prayer what He wants of you. Be
encouraged by realizing that when you pursue His work in you, it will
change your focus, give you a new purpose for existing, and restore your
confidence.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, I now realize that my primary focus has been on
the wrong things. I have allowed the attraction of the things of this
world to create in me a casual attitude about my relationship with
You, and Your involvement in my life. Thank You for Your words
which remind me that not only am I important to You, but You have
plans for me that include new blessings for me and others. Help me
to discover the good works You have begun in me and to diligently
pursue them with Your guidance and encouragement. Thank You
for loving me, and for the plans You have for me.”

BLOG: utvolwoody.wordpress.com