A
thought by Andy Stanley, (2009-01-21) from his book, Louder Than Words: The Power of Uncompromised Living (Kindle
Location 836). The Doubleday Religious Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Somehow
we need to come to grips with the fact that God’s plan and purpose for us is different than ours. You see God is an
investor and He only invests in those things that will last. Our outside will not last. Dust to dust and ashes to ashes but what
lasts is what is inside of us, our spirit, our soul, our character. That is what He invests
in. He wants us to become like Him.
He
qualifies that with “For in most cases, our prayers center around the removal
of the very circumstances He is using to conform us to His image.”
Somehow
we need to come to grips with the fact that God’s plan and purpose for us is different than ours. You see God is an
investor and He only invests in those things that will last. Our outside will not last. Dust to dust and ashes to ashes but what
lasts is what is inside of us, our spirit, our soul, our character. That is what He invests
in. He wants us to become like Him.
I
love the story of the sculptor who was looking at a big piece of granite and
someone asked him what he was going to do with it? And he said that he was going to create a
sculpture of an elephant. And they asked,
“How are you going to do that?” And he
said, “I’m going to chisel off everything that doesn’t look like an elephant.”
And
that is what God is doing in our lives.
He sends these circumstances into our lives that will chip away anything that doesn’t look like Him.
And the key is to accept it and change or He will have to use a bigger
hammer and chisel. So don’t waste the
circumstances that come into your life.
Accept them and learn and grow from them. Let Him use them to make you fit for what is
ahead.
Andy
says, “We spend our time, energy, and resources on the outer person. And we
miss God. That’s why there are times in our lives when it seems like He’s so
far away. Think about it. Most of our prayers have to do with our health, our
wealth, and our social life. And when we experience a setback or grow
impatient, we say, ‘God, where are You?’ At the same time, we fail to pray for
the things that will benefit us for eternity.”
He
is investing in what is going to last.
Let Him have control of your life, of your character. Trust Him and follow Him.
As
Andy says, “God’s main occupation is preparing us for the world to come. The
focus of what God is doing in your life takes place in you, not around you.”
So
what are you praying for?
Comments
Post a Comment