Sunday, January 03, 2010

Cease Striving

The other night some friends and I were discussing the messages that we felt God had been telling us lately. One of the recurring messages that He's spoken to me over the past several months is "Cease striving." In other words, I need to quit trying so hard--trying to get people to like me, trying to find a group to fit in with, trying to find a place to belong, trying to hold onto things (including certain habits and even friendships) that I need to let go of and turn over to God.

I think it's a natural tendency for most of us to try pretty hard to make things happen. That's not to say that we don't play an active role at all in our lives, but too often I fall into the trap of trying to "help" God along instead of being still and allowing Him to work. It's particularly hard when He doesn't seem to be moving at all. I'd hate to know how many times I've short-circuited some of His plans for me by jumping ahead and not operating on His timetable.

And so one of my prayers for 2010 and the years to come is that I will stop trying so hard and allow God to bring the people into my life that He wants to be there. That may also include allowing Him to remove some people, and that is a painful prospect. But I want to live life with open hands to receive whatever and whoever He wants to give me, while at the same time not holding so tightly onto them that He can't also remove them when necessary.

Above all, being still and allowing Him to work will further build my faith in Him and my dependence on Him. I definitely want to be sensitive to His leading and to act when He calls me to act, but for now it seems like He's calling me to be still.


2 comments:

Chris Miller said...

That is certainly a hard thing to come to terms with. I know whenever I try to think that way a little voice in my head starts saying "but God helps those who help themselves" which isn't in there last time I checked.

Tara said...

I've always found it difficult to distinguish between being lazy and not being active in doing things and pushing forward so fast that I can't hear God's urging. Great post Lisa, and this should be my prayer as well this year.