I wanna seek you first! I wanna know you more!
I called my second devotional “Is there a three-step programme?” because you could say I am an organisation freak, although a gracious friend of mine told me “No, Ema you just have a strong gift of administration.” Give me structure or lists or three to twelve-steps programmes and I am thriving.
And once I see that something works and is improving my life I want to tell everyone about it. Perhaps, that is why God, in His mercy, took His time to demolish ideas in my head until I got the message - I can’t do anything without Him by following some recipe. No matter how much said recipe worked in the past. He created this relationship in such a way that it will work one way and one way only - by giving Him His place in our lives and sharing with Him and asking Him questions and seeking Him. There are no shortcuts as I came to be reminded recently.
Going back to my “administrative gift”, I follow many youtubers who focus on planning and organising and coming up with morning and evening routines. One of the youtubers I like very much, and find inspiring, recently posted a video in which she talks about how in the business of creating a beautiful life and making the most of it, she came to realise that “she lost her magic”. I identified straight away. I have a severe iron deficiency which causes me to be tired all the time and that drives the girl with the “administrative gift” in me nuts, because I want to make the most of everything. Needless to say, at times I feel frustrated about it all and I become sad. In short, I knew what she was talking about. But then, she proceeded to give a three-step programme on how to get “your magic” back and my antennas went up - focus on your passion whatever that passion is, and your passion will remind you of your purpose and thus you will “find your magic”. Sounds good and doable, but as I've come to know by now, not the way God does things. In God’s world you start by
“seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. “Matthew 6:33
There are no shortcuts in God’s world. You start with Him and you focus on Him and as I know by now, there are no number of steps programmes. Because He is a person you are in a relationship with, not a computer software. And in this relationship, He might choose to show you a different solution to a similar problem so that He can teach you a new lesson or show you another part of His beautiful heart.
So, trying to apply three-steps programmes to God, is as silly as trying to contain a rushing river with a tea spoon.
Yes, three-steps programmes feel good because they make us feel in control, but I encourage you to read closely Psalm 16 and meditate on it. Are you willing to exchange all that beauty and assurance and companionship with the King of the Universe for a fleeting feeling of being in control and less afraid of failure? Honestly, go to Doodling Faith's Spotify playlist and just stick "Hidden" - United Pursuit on repeat and meditate on His Word (link at the bottom)
As verse 8 encourages us, keep your eyes always on the Lord because with Him at your right hand, you shall not be shaken. Continue to look for Him in His Word, in the eyes of the people you meet, in the beautiful colours and the bright autumn sky, thank Him for everything around you, tell Him what is on your heart, and you will soon find out that you don’t need the “safety” of a three-step programme, because you will be very much aware of your “delightful inheritance”. One which you cannot lose as some lose “their magic”.
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