We must be willing and determined to get rid of the clutter in our minds, hearts and lives; surrendering our thoughts and desires (those things we think we need, want or must have) to Him, in exchange for His perfect will and desire (everything that is good, right and best) for our lives.
"Don't copy the behavior and customs of the world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is."(Romans 12:2) For He knows us better than we know ourselves, and is far greater, and more capable of supplying our needs and fulfilling the "true", deep down desires of our hearts than we are.
"This "foolish" plan of God is far wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is far stronger than the greatest of human strength."(1Corinthians 1:25)
So often, we come to God with a preconceived notion of what we want, and how things should be done in order to get us what we want; forgetting, that God is "The One" who knows and sees all things. "For God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things."(1John 3:20)
Then there are those times when we don't stop long enough to give God our "complete" attention and thus we go and try to meet with Him with "divided attention".
We allow our thoughts to drift and wonder around to the things going on in our lives instead of being solely and completely focused on God. It is as if, we are standing there, looking at God face to face, and as we try to focus we inevitably begin feeling the enemy (those distractions of life) tapping us on the shoulder. Instead of continuing to look forward and focusing our attention on Christ, we choose turn around to address the "problems or distractions of life", Satan, on our own. When all we actually need to do is say to the enemy, "Get thee behind me Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of man (a worldly point of view)."(Matthew 16:23)
Unfortunately at that point we are forgetting... God, who is now standing behind us, because we chose to turn around and in doing so diverted our focus. Waving His hand, He stands there patiently, trying to get our attention, asking us to place our "problems" and "troubles" back down at His feet where they belong. And allow Him to once again take His rightful place in our lives, as our Shield, Defender and Protector.
For "He is my loving ally and my fortress, my tower of safety (protector), my deliverer, He stands before me as a shield, and I take refuge in Him. He subdues the nations (my enemies) under me." (Psalm 144:2)
He is our defender, "He has our back" if we will just keep our eyes directed forward, focusing only upon Him. He will do what He said He would do, and through Him, our enemies will be defeated!
"Blessed be God Most High, who gave you victory over your enemies."(Genesis 14:20) When we give God our "undivided attention", we walk in victory, without strife, troubles, and distraction. For God "did not" design our bodies to take on "heavy loads", making us stressed and weary, with headaches, body aches and illness. No, God created and designed our bodies to be stress and worry free; free from heavy burdens and sicknesses! "For Jesus said, come to me, all who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."(Matthew 11:28)
God's intention from the very beginning, was to take all those heavy burdens in our lives upon Himself! That is why, He died for our transgressions and bore stripes for our healing! "He was wounded and crushed for our transgressions (sins). He was beaten that we might have peace. He bore stripes (was whipped) that we might be healed."(Isaiah 53:5) He did all that, so we could walk this life in total joy and peace, in the pleasure of an everlasting covenant of love with the Father Himself!
We've been given an eternal invitation to dwell in the intimate presence of The Lord our God, our King, our Friend and The Lover of our souls that will never end!
We can not forget that God has our best at heart. "He gives us grace and glory. No good thing will the Lord withhold from those who do what is right."(Psalm 84:11)
God loves us with a love far deeper than we can understand. Derek Prince, one of the world's leading Bible teachers put it this way:"When you come to God through Jesus, you are as accepted and as highly favored as Jesus Himself is!" Being loved with this, the only such, full and all encompassing love by "The Creator Himself" comes with it, all the blessings, power and fulfillment we will ever need in our lives! So, let us strive to never take our eyes, our attention, off Christ! May we live a life of "undivided attention" on Christ alone!
My prayer is, that each of us, through the quickening of the Holy Spirit will come to recognize immediately, the distractions of the enemy, and choose in the midst of life's troubles, "not turn around" and address them ourselves; but make the conscious decision and effort to continue, to "look forward" and allow God to defend us, as our Shield and Protector! "For if God is with us (on our side), who can be against us."(Romans 8:31) We could not be... in more capable hands, than those of The Lord our God, Creator of Heaven and Earth!
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