Many times we may feel like we have our backs up against the wall and that there is no way out. Some may even feel if there was a God, how could He let this happen to me? We feel barricaded by our own desires that we lose that spiritual connection with God.
God’s intentions for us are always good and even during the troubled times He always has a way of escape. Sometimes that Godly path he has laid down for us to follow, isn’t apparent because we choose not to see. This is because we are more “ self-seeking” than “ God-seeking”.
We Are Not in Control
This is a culturally derived notion that we live our lives feeling that only are we in control of everything, but really deep down, we all know this is not true.
We all know it’s not true, but many are too hesitant and fearful to let this concept of letting go and giving it up to the one who is in control, and that is God.
I have a close friend that has been putting forth a lot of effort and digging deeper into her faith. She has struggled with this act of letting go and letting God be in control. She asked me the other day how I was able to lay down and let God completely take the reins in my life. I told her, I had enough of the life I was living, it was bringing no joy or fulfillment. I felt myself becoming calloused and depressed, which anyone who knew me, that was not me.
I prayed and dived into the Word of God and just never looked back. I knew there would be change and there were very evident changes, but these were all changes that I embraced and did not hold back. Changes to the point where one of my closest friends kept asking me how she can make this change. She also mentioned she has just felt like something has been stopping her from taking that final step into developing her faith.
So I asked her, well what are you afraid of? She immediately responded with “my life changing.” So I simply asked, do you enjoy your life now? She promptly answered, “No, I am not happy and obviously things need to change in my life.”
God’s Guidance, Not Mine
I often mull over questions, especially ones that are so close to my heart. I wanted to guide her in the right direction, but most importantly, I wanted it to be God’s guidance, not mine. So a few days later my husband and I were driving in the car and he asked if I would put on an Elevation Church sermon. So I found the most recent message that Steven Furtick had delivered and we listened. No more than 7 minutes into his 48-minute message, did he give such a clear and appropriate response to relay back based on what she was asking me, even my husband looked at me and said send that to her.
The passage the caught my attention the most was this…” The hard part is not bringing you into freedom, but to teach you how to live in it”, “ True freedom doesn’t feel familiar and we would rather stay in something that enslaves us that is predictable, rather than embrace something that is new and good and true and pure.”
I was so excited! God had us play this so I had something great to relay to my friend. It was exactly what I needed her to hear. I then sent her a text saying that I found this and to listen at least to the first 10 minutes of the sermon.
Some of the hardest paths we know and need to take are those of change. The unknown can be intimidating and unfamiliar but the path to freedom will overcome any of those fears! God’s path for you will not only bring you joy and freedom, but it will bring you more than you could ever imagine!
Thank you, Jesus
She thanked me and then proceeded to say, “ thank you for not giving up on me”. Reading her response, immediately brought tears to my eyes, but really she shouldn’t have been thanking me. She should have been thanking Jesus. He is the one trying to tear down the walls she has created and brought her the salvation to her that she has been so desperately been trying to find.
And that brings me to the 13th verse from 1 Corinthians 10, it reads “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” What God is revealing to us here is that this feeling of not wanting to change is common to man. And no matter what is keeping you from Him, there is always a way out.
In my friend’s case, she needs to realize that just by reading this verse, God is reassuring us that even if she is scared of change, He will provide a way of dealing with that fear. And this is just one verse out of thousands in the bible that brings our troubles to light. It brings answers to questions and reassurance to those who are weary.
Leah Lincoln
Hello Friends! My Name is Leah Lincoln and I am the co-founder of Abide and Seek, which is mine and my husband’s Christian Blog. I write articles based on my past experiences and point of view as a Christian woman in hopes to help others find their everlasting relationship with Jesus Christ. Although I am a follower of Jesus, I have a background in science which I feel only enhances my understanding of God’s creation. I am a stay at home mom who enjoys watching our 2 year old son grow and learn something new each day and we just welcomed home our newest child this past December! A sweet little girl! My passions include writing to inspire others, crafting and creating art, tending to and saving animals, gardening, and enjoying a hot cup of coffee with the company of good friends and family.