I think this was the hardest chapter for me to get behind because I have had so many different paths that I thought God was calling me to go and the door continued to close. The most recent path is the one I am supposed to follow and go back to school to become a counselor. I started the path and was ready to start this summet, but then I stepped out of a job that was not the right fit for the moment. This has made it a little more intimidating to follow in this path and has made it somewhat hard to feel that I am still on the path that God has called me to. I think that the biggest thing that I have to continue to remember what God has shown me time and time again that he is faithful and his plan is greater then mine ever could be. The other thing I have to remember is to find the ways that make my both/and life really worth living p.4.
It is sometimes very difficult to discern God's path for us from simply a desire that we have for ourselves.
A couple passages I find helpful in my own journey of discerning God's calling:
Prov. 16:9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
James 4:13-15 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
These give room for us to make plans and follow our hearts in a sense, but also gives us a framework for being open to God redirecting us or closing the door if His will has us going in a different direction. Growing in humility is a great help in this.
I also find where James says in chapter 1 of his epistle that if anyone lacks wisdom, he can ask God who gives generously, but that we have to ask in faith, beliveing God can accomplish what we are asking.
I'll pray God gives you greater clarity on His path for you, brother. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for that reminder the we can make plans, we just need to be humble and be willing to change our plans when God closes a door but opens a window!
I think this was the hardest chapter for me to get behind because I have had so many different paths that I thought God was calling me to go and the door continued to close. The most recent path is the one I am supposed to follow and go back to school to become a counselor. I started the path and was ready to start this summet, but then I stepped out of a job that was not the right fit for the moment. This has made it a little more intimidating to follow in this path and has made it somewhat hard to feel that I am still on the path that God has called me to. I think that the biggest thing that I have to continue to remember what God has shown me time and time again that he is faithful and his plan is greater then mine ever could be. The other thing I have to remember is to find the ways that make my both/and life really worth living p.4.
It is sometimes very difficult to discern God's path for us from simply a desire that we have for ourselves.
A couple passages I find helpful in my own journey of discerning God's calling:
Prov. 16:9 The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.
James 4:13-15 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
These give room for us to make plans and follow our hearts in a sense, but also gives us a framework for being open to God redirecting us or closing the door if His will has us going in a different direction. Growing in humility is a great help in this.
I also find where James says in chapter 1 of his epistle that if anyone lacks wisdom, he can ask God who gives generously, but that we have to ask in faith, beliveing God can accomplish what we are asking.
I'll pray God gives you greater clarity on His path for you, brother. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for that reminder the we can make plans, we just need to be humble and be willing to change our plans when God closes a door but opens a window!