Following
Jesus means giving up what I want for what God wants.
It’s
letting go of any control I think I have over my life and accepting God’s plan
for my life. Even when I don’t know what the plan is.
To
follow Jesus means I place my trust in Him, and not in myself.
It’s
a struggle, though, because I’m selfish and stubborn, emotional and
quick-tempered, and I like to be in control.
So,
how do I let go of all that I am, and put my unwavering trust in God when I
can’t see what’s ahead, and where I am right now is not so great? How?
Through
Him.
I
make the choice to follow Him, and then I ask for, and accept, His strength,
His peace, and His love.
Every.
Single. Day.
But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8 NLT
With my choice to trust God comes stability. God
is the same today as He was yesterday, and will be tomorrow. He is my energy
source. My foundation.
When
I trust God, He keeps me grounded in Him. He gives me life.
But there is still the other choice—to go it alone,
trusting myself and not following Jesus.
It means I live in my own strength; I’m in control of
my life.
That’s the lie the enemy tells me.
But, being in control is an illusion. Life moves at a
quick pace and temptation swirls around me.
My strength and energy run dry.
I lean on others, but they are as emotional and
ever-changing as I am.
There’s nothing solid to stand on. And life spins out
of control.
This is what the Lord says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the Lord. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land.” Jeremiah 17:5-6 NLT
Two choices. Neither easy.
But…
When I choose to follow Jesus and put my trust in Him,
He enables me to trust Him more. I continue to grow in Him.
In the good times, God is there to celebrate with me.
To cheer me on.
And through the trials, God is there to support me. He
holds me up when the ground crumbles beneath me.
He strengthens me to keep going, and comforts me when
all feels lost.
His love for me never changes.
Nor does His love for you.
But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. Jeremiah 17:7 NLT
Thank
you for joining me here today for the last chapter “Our Choice…Choosing Freedom
Each Day” in our study of Finally Free by Kim Tabor. If you’d like to read the
previous weeks, click on Finally Free label on the right hand side of the
screen.
In Christ,
Laura
Linking up with Winsome Wednesday, WholeHearted Home, Thought Provoking Thursday, Faith Filled Friday, and The Weekend Brew.
I love this: Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit!
ReplyDelete--Gena
That is one part of the verse passage that God used to first speak to me through His word. ;) Thanks for the online study, Laura!
ReplyDeleteStopping by from a blog hop at intentional.me. I can relate to a lot of what you say here!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post. You are right...being in control is such an illusion! I lived Jeremiah 17:5-6 for too long. Ready now to remain in Him and never stop producing fruit! : )
ReplyDeleteSo good! The more I trust Jesus, the more I have the ability to trust Him. It is only through trusting that I can fully learn to have faith!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this post over at WholeHearted Home this week. You were so honest with what so many of us moms struggle with from time to time especially when our children are little.
ReplyDelete