I was watching the movie, "Journey to the Center of the Earth" yesterday and I found God speaking to my heart through it. Every time one of the characters was confronted with an obstacle I found myself having a cynical spirit toward God. It was as if I was saying my true feelings under my breath and I could feel my lip curl in a gesture of contempt. The characters in the movie would do the best they could to make a plan of escape yet it would go awry. I found myself over and over again thinking, "Why does life have to be so complicated, so exhausting, so deflating to the human spirit?" But, as the movie went on I began to see God's hand in all their situations and when one of their plans didn't work out.....God had a better plan! Their disappointments where the bedrock that God used to deliver them and show them that He knew what was best!
I realized my character flaw as the Holy Spirit shone a light of truth upon my heart. My first thought was always, "You couldn't make it easy Lord, could you!" Yet, as God worked out each of their problems I felt a feeling of shame for thinking that God would leave his creation when they needed Him most. My first thought was always to doubt God not to trust Him! A weed of cynicism took root in me at one point and I let it grow! The path of thinking that God doesn't care, made me ineffective in helping others with a genuine faith and trust and it tarnished my own views of life and God's involvement in it! What would it feel like if our children's first thought of us was, "They won't show up." or "They'll let me down again." or "They don't care about me."........Even after we have proven time and time again that we love them and will be there for them. And, just as we don't want our children to have a skewed view of our committed love, God wants us to proclaim the truth about His faithfulness and love for us as a first instinct not a last resort of guilt!
I had come to a point in my life where I had a "whatever?" frame of mind. But, God used an old movie to open my eyes and see that I needed to stop having my first thought be one of indifference and allow His Holy Spirit to change that part of me to where my first thought would be, "I know you're in this Lord, I trust you till the very end." Each disaster, paradigm shift, conundrum....is an opportunity for God to make something appear even more insurmountable so that when He does work it out for good, everyone will know it was an act of God and not merely a human advantage or fluke of luck! I want my first thoughts to be about God's faithfulness, power, concern, ability, unfailing love......not thoughts that paint Him as a complicater and game player. Satan works hard every day to skew our image of God and His love for us, to paint Him as the complete opposite of the real truth about His character. It is a daily prerequisite for us to put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) and be prepared to battle the flaming arrows of lies that the evil one will attempt to barrage us with throughout our days and nights.
My first thought that I am committed to now is, "I know you are in this Lord and you will never leave me. I know that everything is from you and I am to praise you for all things. I know that you promised to work everything together for good and I trust that you will. I see you Lord as my deliverer not as an inflictor of confusion and menacing scenarios. You oh Lord, are my hope and my strength!" Amen (so let it be)
What are some areas that you believe God wants to speak to you about? Is He putting it on your heart to slow down? maybe He is prodding you to go to church or take your children there. Is God tugging at your heartstrings to spend some time set apart for just you and Him to communicate? Are you choosing busyness over quiet time or is the thought of picking up your bible make you turn and run? Look for His message to you everywhere, because He works in the strangest ways to get our attention. He grieves seeing us living in lies from the enemy and God will send the light of His truth to shine on His way for you.....if you will just look for it. Let your first thought be, "Let's spend some time together Lord!" not, "What can I do to avoid God right now!" One thing that you should always remember is, You are always His first thought.
If you want to hear God then read your bible, if you want to see Him then love and be loved.
Psalm 142:1-3b....I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out my complaint before Him; before Him I tell my trouble. When my spirit grows faint within me, it is You who know my way.
Matthew 7:7-8....Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks the door will be opened.
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