New Year’s resolutions. Did you make any? I was writing (well typing) in my journal and it dawned on me the insignificance of resolutions, especially ones powered by our own might. You know the ones we break 2 days after making them!
In Jeremiah 29:11 it is stated that "I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future."
Well, how many of us, even the most well intentioned of us, make our own plans and then ask God to approve them? Hmm…I’m guilty. There’s a subtlety about what was written here. Whose plans? My plans. And therein lies the problems. We are not promised life without difficulties. Trials make us grow. Pruning takes place.
In my morning devotional it was pointed out to me that a good gardener severely cuts back a rose bush to allow for beautiful bountiful new growth. For those who are not familiar with gardening to this extent, which is more beautiful? Lots of blossoms or spotty blossoms with green leaves on sticks? One of the lessons my Mom taught me about gardening was that you have to cut back the dead wood that is in a plant, so that the plant rejuvenates new shoots. Most time this severe cutting back looks like a bad haircut and I’ve certainly had my fair share of those.
Well, we too are pruned as we journey through life. God is the master Gardener of our lives. He prunes what is not producing fruit in order that new shoots might blossom. Pruning hurts and still we hang on to what we know rather than experience the adventure God has in store for us. One might look at this and think I’m wise; don’t be fooled, I hang on to what I know just as everyone else does!
Pruning doesn’t mean something taken was bad, I tend to look at it as if what was pruned fulfilled it’s purpose. I just finished reading a book by W. Bruce Cameron; entitled "A Dog’s Purpose" I highly recommend it. The book’s main character is a dog that travels through life defining what it is here to do. It makes me look at my own dogs in a new light. To say anything more would be to give too much detail and ruin the book. I don’t believe the premise is the same for people, but the search for meaning and purpose is. I will say this though, there is pruning going on throughout this story.
All in all, my point is that we should be open first to God’s plan for us. How do we do this? We settle ourselves down, we become quiet and we ask to be shown the way. Sounds simple enough? Unfortunately the directions are simple, but hearing God takes practice. Does a musician just sit down and play beautifully? No, they practice and perfect the score they are playing. Same with an athlete. Practice is continual.
We are all in a New Year. I didn’t make any resolutions. I find myself knocked for a loop with the pruning last year brought my way, BUT, I am confident that God has a plan for me and in HIS time, as long as I am open to hearing Him, I will be lead to where it is and what it is that I’m supposed to be doing. Just remember we are human beings, not human doings. Be first and the means to the doing will be provided.
Looking up!
Barb
In Jeremiah 29:11 it is stated that "I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future."
Well, how many of us, even the most well intentioned of us, make our own plans and then ask God to approve them? Hmm…I’m guilty. There’s a subtlety about what was written here. Whose plans? My plans. And therein lies the problems. We are not promised life without difficulties. Trials make us grow. Pruning takes place.
In my morning devotional it was pointed out to me that a good gardener severely cuts back a rose bush to allow for beautiful bountiful new growth. For those who are not familiar with gardening to this extent, which is more beautiful? Lots of blossoms or spotty blossoms with green leaves on sticks? One of the lessons my Mom taught me about gardening was that you have to cut back the dead wood that is in a plant, so that the plant rejuvenates new shoots. Most time this severe cutting back looks like a bad haircut and I’ve certainly had my fair share of those.
Well, we too are pruned as we journey through life. God is the master Gardener of our lives. He prunes what is not producing fruit in order that new shoots might blossom. Pruning hurts and still we hang on to what we know rather than experience the adventure God has in store for us. One might look at this and think I’m wise; don’t be fooled, I hang on to what I know just as everyone else does!
Pruning doesn’t mean something taken was bad, I tend to look at it as if what was pruned fulfilled it’s purpose. I just finished reading a book by W. Bruce Cameron; entitled "A Dog’s Purpose" I highly recommend it. The book’s main character is a dog that travels through life defining what it is here to do. It makes me look at my own dogs in a new light. To say anything more would be to give too much detail and ruin the book. I don’t believe the premise is the same for people, but the search for meaning and purpose is. I will say this though, there is pruning going on throughout this story.
All in all, my point is that we should be open first to God’s plan for us. How do we do this? We settle ourselves down, we become quiet and we ask to be shown the way. Sounds simple enough? Unfortunately the directions are simple, but hearing God takes practice. Does a musician just sit down and play beautifully? No, they practice and perfect the score they are playing. Same with an athlete. Practice is continual.
We are all in a New Year. I didn’t make any resolutions. I find myself knocked for a loop with the pruning last year brought my way, BUT, I am confident that God has a plan for me and in HIS time, as long as I am open to hearing Him, I will be lead to where it is and what it is that I’m supposed to be doing. Just remember we are human beings, not human doings. Be first and the means to the doing will be provided.
Looking up!
Barb
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