Glorifying and Enjoying God

I recently read a devotional, which spoke directly to me!

As I read this particular devotional…my original thought was that I might be that person who needs to keep things under my control…or possibly I am obsessed with having everything in order!

There are some who might be nodding their heads in agreement right now!

When I looked up the word “Control” in Webster’s Dictionary…one of the definitions included:

            To exercise restraining or direct influence over…or to have power over.

This didn’t really sound like what I was referring to, so I looked up the word “Order”, and one of its definitions included: 

            A condition in which each thing is properly disposed with reference to other things and to is purpose; methodical or harmonious arrangement:  You must try to give order to your life!

Yes, this would be me!

I like my life to be in order!

I like my home in order!

I life my work space in order!

When it is completely chaotic and crazy at work…there are times when I have stopped working…

Taken a few moments to organize…or re-organize the work on my desk…

Which also allows me a few moments to gather my thoughts…put my work in order…making me feel more comfortable with moving forward with my tasks!

Why?  Because I don’t like working in chaos, so if my desk looks a little more orderly…even if the work is still there…I can function better…I can complete the tasks more efficiently!

And if I am completely honest, I am this way with most things in my life!

However, my devotional shared this:

Glorifying and enjoying Me is a Higher Priority than maintaining a

tidy, structured life.  Your heart resonates with this truth, but in practice,

you usually strive to keep things under control.  I read your thoughts

with perfect accuracy, so I know how easily you lose perspective.  When

 “order” becomes your focus, you often try to enlist My help in getting

control of your circumstances.

Let’s think together about this:  To glorify and enjoy Me as you desire,

 you need to relinquish control to Me.  You may feel as if this would

involve giving up something valuable, because controlling things is a

 way you try to feel safe.  In reality, however, what I’m asking you to

give up – the striving to maintain control – is something that frustrates

you far more than it helps you.  Even if you succeed in creating a tidy

life for a time, you will not be able to maintain it.

Instead of wasting your energy on an impossible task, endeavor to

 celebrate your relationship with Me.  Learn to walk more consistently

in the Light of My Presence.  Indeed, those who walk in this Light can

rejoice in Me all day long, exulting in My righteousness.  Glorify Me by

living joyously in My energizing Light.

Jesus Lives…Seeing His Love in Your Presence…Sarah Young

There were so many things that spoke to my heart in this devotional!

First of all, glorifying God and enjoying his presence needs to be a higher priority than maintaining a tidy, structured life!

Yes, I believe my toes were just stepped on!!

Oh how I want to make sure I am making God a higher priority than maintaining a tidy, structured life!

To do this, I must truly relinquish control to God!

And even when there are days that everything seems to be running smoothly, letting me think that I am in control on that particular day…

Days that everything seems to be in order…

It’s impossible to maintain it!

That’s life!

Sometimes life just isn’t neat and tidy! 

We can’t always wrap it up and put a bow on it and make it pretty!

There are days…weeks…months that our lives are messy…times when circumstances are beyond our control!

And sometimes life is just messy because of the choices we have made.

And regardless of how hard we try to regain control and order…it’s not always going to happen!

It might mean that we have to remain in the chaos for a season!

And that we have to relinquish control and turn it over to Him!

Trusting Him for all things!

And yes, having things in order…having control…might make us feel more secure…safer…but only momentarily! 

But when we actually think about it…

Don’t we really want God in control of our lives?

There is such freedom when we surrender it all to Him!

We waste so much time an energy when we try to do it our way!

And as Sarah Young shared…

Instead of wasting your energy on an impossible task, endeavor to

 celebrate your relationship with Me.  Learn to walk more consistently

in the Light of My Presence.  Indeed, those who walk in this Light can

rejoice in Me all day long, exulting in My righteousness.  Glorify Me by

living joyously in My energizing Light.

I know that I would much rather be spending my time with Heavenly Father…deepening my relationships with Him…and rejoicing in Him all day long!

I’m a work in progress, and I have so much to learn!

This might not be an issue for you, but maybe there is something else you need to surrender to God today?

Ask Him what it is!

And then surrender it to Him! 

And just enjoy being in God’s presence!

Let’s rejoice together that HE doesn’t give up on us and HE desires nothing more than a personal, intimate relationship with us!

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord.  They rejoice in your name all day long; they exult in your righteousness…Psalm 89:15-16