“He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:3)
The mornings are generally the worse for me, when the flesh is still groggy from the night of rest, the mind that serves Christ finds the battle that much more difficult to be led for His righteousness’ sake.
Frustrations will bring this on as well during the day, interruptions in those times when I am following the Lord’s leading, inconvenient moments that occur at just the wrong time.
The first part of Psalm 16:11, “Thou wilt show me the path of life,” is not always the path that we have set for ourselves, we like to say, “This is the way I want to go; this is how I believe I can serve the Lord best in my life.” But the Almighty says, “No, I was thinking about leading you in this direction.”
“A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.” (Prov. 16:9)
A planned day of rest may be turned to one of hard physical labor, or that which you have desired to do that day may be hindered, altered in ways that you never envisioned. And the flesh will rebel, frustration is a mild form of anger, and if the circumstances change with no direct intervention from yourself, then it is the Lord directing your steps, and here is where that inconvenient occurrence must be seen as from your Father in heaven.
When your plans seem to all be going wrong my friends, it may be that they are right in the sight of the Lord.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” (Isaiah 55:8)
The life of one who has been crucified with Christ is no longer his own plan, the servant obeys the Master, and then alters their plans as directed. I had planned to have a small shop for woodworking projects and perhaps restore a few more motorcycles and street rods, custom cars, in this old age of mine, waiting for the final sunset of my life, not writing letters and spending untold hours in front of a computer screen producing animated videos.
I know which one the mind of Christ within me brings the greater glory to God, and I have found joy in what He has called me to do, but my flesh still rebels at times.
What you need to realize, what you must truly understand is this, if you are indeed born-again, what you want in terms of this world, of your fleshly desires, is of no consequence to the Almighty.
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)
“But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.” (Acts 5:39)
We serve the Risen Savior and He has plans for your life.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jer. 29:11)
We are to do all we do for His glory, if you serve Him and those plans of yours do not revolve around this truth, He will alter those plans. This is just one of the battles.
“For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” (Gal. 5:17)
It is perhaps that latent pride within us, those last vestiges of our free will that says, “I want.”
There is a balancing point we must attain to, one where we understand that the Almighty realizes the truth of those wants, and one where we are willing to be led. You cannot crucify yourself, you, I, we all who serve the Lord need help to do this, and the Holy Spirit is more than willing to do that. But He will not force this upon you.
If He decides to modify your plans today, you will become frustrated, He is directing your steps for His righteousness’ sake, and that is after all what you want, isn’t it?
Watch for these times, see His hand in them, our path leads to His Kingdom, do not presuppose that you can see it as clearly as you think you can.
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Prov. 3:5-6)
