We can trust that God knows our hearts. Thus, He knows our intentions. It is our intentions that we must work to purify with every opportunity we are given. He does not judge the outward appearance of our actions. If our intentions are impure He knows. We should rejoice in this fact. It is in this knowledge that we can put our efforts in growing the capacity of our heart rather than our capacity for worldly appearances. Doing life with God each day builds a heart for Him and the things He wants us to do. It is when we are not doing life with Him that the intentions of our heart can become compromised by fear, worry, ego, pride, and so many other things. The enemy wants nothing more than for us to get distracted, thus corrupting our hearts. God wants us to prosper and thrive. We can only do this with Him. He gives us cause, strength, and drive to grow our hearts' willingness to love as He loved.
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7 NIV
God knows us better than we know ourselves. The sooner we come to know this reality the more He can intercede and help us. Although He knows far more than we do, He is kind and merciful. He will not intercede where He is not invited. Through our acceptance of His desire to help us and the reality that He can, our lives can be blessed more than we could imagine. This concept can be difficult to live into. The world has conditioned us to trust mostly in ourselves. However, trusting outside of ourselves is where freedom is. Continuing to live with walls around our hearts and minds will only stifle the blessings that are meant for us. Let us trust in the one that knows better than we do. He will never steer us wrong.
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
Psalm 139:2 NIV
A Story of Trust Over Control:
When my full time, out of the home job ended I wasn’t quite sure what to do with myself. So, I jumped into every kind of busy work I could find. I made all the to do lists and didn’t cease in setting my alarm. I was determined to muscle my way into the next chapter of life.
This new reality only wore me out. I had left a job that depleted me, only to turn around and deplete myself for the sake of finding my new path. I finally committed to putting the to do lists down and I stopped setting an alarm. I asked God to guide my path. I asked Him to wake me when I needed to get up and to tell me what I was to do in my day.
The result is 3 years without an alarm being set and writing a list out only on the most rare occasions. My memory is sharper and my anxiety is practically gone. The peace that comes over me each day is nothing short of miraculous. I wake up with God every morning. I invite Him into the most simple of things and He helps. Life doesn’t overwhelm me anymore. I don’t have it all figured out, but I do know how to surrender each day to Him and I trust that He is guiding me exactly where He wants and needs me.
- Anonymous
Strengthen the Christian Planner Family by sharing your experiences. We'd love to hear a story about God's work in your life. Use the form linked below to submit your story.
Considerations for your planner:
- Write down the things that distract you. Can you walk with God in those things today?
- Have you invited God into every aspect of your life? Write down the area of your life, then see which areas you surrender to God and which areas you try to control.
