Screwing Up

Well, it has been a few weeks and I do apologize. Our Sunday School class just started a new book on God's will. After thinking about it the last few days, I have one question that I can't seem to answer. When the class was discussing their trust in God's will and direction, everyone agreed that they fully trusted Him. I do as well. But then, why don't we let Him? We say that we believe in His omnipotence and omnipresence and that He has a plan for each of us. If we do believe that about our Creator, why do we keep interjecting ourselves and screwing it up? Further, are we as Christians more responsible and held to higher standards of accountability by God for knowing that He has a plan and purpose and still straying off that path than nonbelievers? Do we get extra credit for walking a line that swerves in and out of His path or are we just as wrong as if we crossed His path perpendicularly?

Here's where I think the truth must lie. First, quit trying to squeeze bonus points out of God. He isn't an eleventh grade math teacher. When we delve into justification, we tread water that we shouldn't even be in. Christians are awesome rationalizers. We can take a sermon or a passage and apply it to our lives like a size 8 shoe on a size 12 foot. It may go on, but it doesn't fit! It hurts and is uncomfortable and it won't stop until we take it off.

I believe that when we either fail to acknowledge God's interest or purpose in details, situations, and decisions in our lives then we have failed to trust Him overall. Jesus says you are either for me or against me. I don't think that meant sometimes. He implies a complete, overwhelming commitment to trust our entire existence to following Him and His direction. There is no "oopsie" for forgetting to ask His guidance, nor is there bonus points for seeking most of the time.

The question for Christians then is,"If our eternal future is already secure, why keep pushing our will on God either sometimes, most of the time, or all the time?" The gift of free will plays a large part in that discussion. Don't we all feel better when we have sought His guidance, gotten a response, acted on it, then watched the fruits unfold? We all have situations where we look back, nod our heads grinning from ear to ear, and say,"Yeah, that's what it's all about." Why then don't we continue that pattern?

May God grant us courage to seek His divine guidance, wisdom to accept the response, and consistency in following His direction.