God never intended for us to walk alone in our journeys. He fully intended that we would walk with Him and ask Him to walk with us. We must ask Him to come with us. It is our responsibility to invite Him into the parts of our lives we need help with. This invitation isn’t a one time ask either. We must continue to invite Him in to show our need to lean on Him and that our focus is on Him. It is when we do this that we can be fortified in knowing His presence and trust in His help. When we go to Him, but are not consistent it is hard to know that He is there, because we are not reinforcing our trust in Him carrying us. This act of asking is how we walk in humility, which we need to as our flesh is arrogant. This will make our “burden light.”
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 NIV
Being with God and asking Him to walk with us is a daily effort. In fact it is probably a moment to moment effort when we are truly inviting Him into our lives. Looking ahead to plans for our lives is encouraged by the world. Unfortunately, this way of doing things leaves us reliant on our efforts alone or looking to other humans for guidance. Then is there room for God’s will? He encourages us to dream big and have desires for greatness, but not without Him. This is why He is clear about what we do and do not know. We do not know what tomorrow will bring. Thus, when we plan we must know that our plans are only as good as our ability to be present with Him. Living moment to moment with Him will bring more momentum to our plans than any efforts we make without Him.
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”
James 4:13-15 NIV
Considerations for your planner:
- How are you inviting God into your life at this moment? Write it down.
- What plans do you have? Write them down and then write down if you are turning to God to guide you or following the path the world has laid out.
A Story of Being with God:
Birth can be scary to think about. Certainly the world has not done us any favors to paint a pleasant picture of it. However, it can be the most beautiful experience. I have learned this over the birth of my 4 children.
With my first birth I trusted in my body, but I didn’t turn to God as I needed to. The second birth was a bit better, but still not with God as I needed. What I mean is I used my human knowledge and muscled my way through difficulty and pain. I was an athlete. I knew how to walk through physical obstacles. Although they were not terrible experiences, they certainly were missing a key component. God.
With my third and fourth birth I spoke to God all the moments of the day leading up to labor. In the midst of labor it was all I could do to keep the focus on God. With His help I walked through labor with ease and little pain. It was mostly discomfort that kept me alert to leaning on Him. These experiences have taught me how to be more dependent on God in all things in my life. I am grateful for the humbling experience of birth to teach me how to go to God in every moment of life.
- 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.
