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Refreshment in Refuge
by Gina Burgess
No one understands God's perfect ways or even why God acts in such a way for some and in another way for others. How do we even know for sure we are walking in His will?
We can't see the future. Our feelings are fickle. We can't control other people's decisions. So how do we walk down that specific path God has lighted for us?
We live in a very imperfect world and since we don't control other people, we can't be responsible for their choices. The only alternative we have, then, is to walk the closest we can to the Lord God Almighty and expect Him to turn us from the wrong direction.
We have His guidebook, His Word. We have the Holy Spirit. Combine this with our love for our Daddy and a deep desire to do His will and it is a fairly reliable recipe for following His will.
It is only when we let our own desires get in the way that we veer off the path and stretch our leading strings. I fully believe that God allows us an exploratory romp or two down side paths because this is how we learn God's guiding hand on our reins. We learn the feel If we don't acknowledge the gentle tug to the left or right or signal to stop, then God will get more urgent and sometimes the bit will dig in and hurt. It isn't God that is causing the hurt, it is the stubborn ignoring of His guiding signals.
We can't walk in His ways unless we know Him. We can't know Him unless we study His Word. We can't study His word unless we take the time. We can't take the time unless we make it a priority. Therefore, priorities are crucial to knowing God's will.
Never allow consideration of doing something that is contradictory to His commands. That part is simple enough. But what do we do with that fleeting thought that flickers through the brain matter, toying with us to consider something that the Holy Spirit immediately flags as sin? When it does register that we've thought something like that, we need to fling it at God's feet. Frankly, that is not easier said than done. If we truly mean to bring God glory that decision must be made before that flickering thought appears. Otherwise we sit toying with an idea which is then a simple matter to follow through with a deed displeasing to God.
Once we've decided, it is easier to do. Once we’ve decided, we are more aware of temptation, (and that, my siblings, is what Satan deplores). He wants us to waver on the cusp of the pit. But, who is stronger? When God is for us, who can stand against Him?
Psalm 37:4 says that when we delight in the Lord, He will grant us the desires of our hearts.
How precious that God gives us our desires when we delight in Him. That means those desires are not harmful. They are good for us and others. That means that our hearts are pure. What a joy to have a pure heart. That also means that our prayers are righteous and the prayers of the righteous avails much. We have a responsibility to dive into the middle of God's will and to delight in Him.
How precious it is to sit on His feet.
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Gina Burgess has taught Sunday School and Discipleship Training for almost three decades. (Don't tell her that makes her old.) She earned her Master's in Communication in 2013.
She is the author of several books including: When Christians Hurt Christians, The Crowns of the Believers and others available in online bookstores. She authors several columns, using her God-given talent to shine a light in a dark world. You can browse her blog at Refreshment In Refuge.
If you'd like to take a look at some Christian fiction and Christian non-fiction book reviews check out Gina's book reviews at Upon
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