They really are. Over break I had the chance to spend a morning with one of my favorite people, and I asked her about her thoughts on a pretty specific subject. Waiting for the formula or list, I was a little surprised when all she said was, "Just keep your relationship with God strong."
A week later, lunch with my grandma. I asked her the same question and she mysteriously told me she had her answer written down in her truck. Which was weird, because she didn't know that I even had a question to ask her. But you don't argue with grandmas. When we walked out to the parking lot she unlocked her vehicle and pulled out a bookmark with the words written on it, "Trust in the Lord."
Ever since coming back to school I have been continuing my search to find the perfect list or detailed document that will tell me what God wants me to do. I mean I have been in prayer, ladies and gentlemen. God and I have been talking a lot. Well, actually no. I have been talking a lot.
Looking back now, I can see that the turning point was a few days ago when I was going through an old journal. I seriously love and highly recommend taking notes when you go to church or listen to messages or see something wise on Pinterest. There are so many times I've had to re-learn things God has already taught me.
But anyways, I was reading something from probably my freshman year of college? Kind of guessing here. But it was a lesson a friend of mine gave over the story in John 6. Jesus had just done the miracle where He feeds 5,000 people with only five small barley loaves of bread and two fish. And so now He's changed locations and some of the people freak out and run to find Him. Once they do they ask Him, "When did you get here?" And then Jesus says, "You're only looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs, but because you got to eat the food I provided."
And my friend paused and said this, "It's like Jesus was saying, 'Would you forget about the bread? It's not about the bread. It's about Me."
And I am so glad I wrote that little comment down.
Because honestly in life I have had to go back to that multiple times.
Times when I have had theological questions that kept me from wanting to talk to God. "Alonnah, it's not about the insight. It's about Me."
Seasons when I have been in relationships where I kept asking God for guidance. "Alonnah, it's not about the guy. It's about Me."
Big life choices, like what major to choose and where to go to college.
"Alonnah, it's not about the decisions. It's about Me."
I've frequently come upon those two sentences during times where I've been really wanting answers from God. But it's funny because honestly those words, which are almost telling me I'm not getting my answers, give me complete and utter peace.
Because they finally put my priorities in order.
And then today at church we were going through 1 John (which is one of my favorite books ever) and we are in chapter 2 and then get to verses 3-6:
"We know that we have come to know (Jesus) if we obey His commands. The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys His word, love for God is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him: Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Jesus did."
And I used to freak out and think that this meant when I disobeyed Christ I didn't know Him, but I don't think that's what these verses are saying anymore. I think these verses help us do a self check and see, "Hey, Jesus has been changing the way I've lived my life. I do know Him."
Okay so flip side. Main point. When you know Him, He changes you.
So, if you want to know what He wants you to do, if you want the answers to where to go to college or who to marry or when to get a tattoo but He isn't telling you- just get to know Him. When you abide in Him, your love for God is perfected.
It's not about the route. It's about Jesus. Because Jesus gives us direction.
It's not about the millions of different and complicated and specific questions. Because Jesus is the simple answer.
And I wasn't even going to write this post, but then I read a page out of "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers and God highlighted this idea for me once again.
I'll just type out my favorite parts.
"The call of God is not a call to serve Him in any particular way. My contact with the nature of God will shape my understanding of His call and will help me realize what I truly desire to do for Him...God brings me into a proper relationships with Himself so that I can understand His call, and then I serve Him on my own out of motivation of absolute love...The Son of God reveals Himself in me, and out of devotion to Him service becomes my everyday way of life."
It's so simple it sounds silly. But our answers come from just being with God.
Born again Christians have the Holy Spirit. And God is a good Father. He's not going to make you play guessing games on what you are supposed to do or where you are supposed to go. When He wants something to be made clear, He will make it clear. But if He isn't, and often He doesn't, we can rest in knowing that when our focus is on Him we are investing in something far greater than the answers to our questions.
Back up about a month and a half ago. I was sitting at one of my favorite spots in Warrensburg, one of the places I go to think and get fresh air and spend time with God. And the verse in Romans 8, where it says the Holy Spirit prays for us, (Romans 8:26) was spot on and I was babbling on about how confused I was. I remember telling God, "I have so many questions for You once I get to heaven."
It's okay to ask questions like in Psalm 143:8, "Show me the way I should walk." I think God is so blessed by that. But I think after praying that, I want to start walking with Him. I don't want to stand still and refuse to do anything until I get a road map. I want to ask for guidance, and keep asking, but ask while I walk with Him. Basically I want to search Him out more than I want to search out the answers.
So my friend was right when she said to simply keep my relationship with the Lord strong. My grandma knew what she was talking about when she told me to trust Him with all my heart.
Because when you know someone, truly know them, you know what they want you to do.
So my friend was right when she said to simply keep my relationship with the Lord strong. My grandma knew what she was talking about when she told me to trust Him with all my heart.
Because when you know someone, truly know them, you know what they want you to do.
Because when we know Him, then we will obey His commands.
