Solomon tells us that “a happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing” (Proverbs 17:22, AMP). God undoubtedly has a sense of humor; we need only look at some of the animals He created (it’s hard not to smile at the sight of a hippo, a monkey, or a puppy). Or think of some of the married couples you know: don’t you think God was smiling at the wedding as He looked ahead to the interaction of the wildly different personalities that will be living together?
I’ve been thinking a lot about God’s vision for my life, my vision for my life, and how those two things — -hopefully — -coincide. This passage from the March 11 entry of My Utmost for His Highest is a powerful reminder that ultimately, it’s all about God’s vision, not mine:
The only way to be obedient to “the heavenly vision” is to give our utmost for His highest—our best for His glory. This can be accomplished only when we make a determination to continually remember God’s vision. But the acid test is obedience to the vision in the details of our everyday life—sixty seconds out of every minute, and sixty minutes out of every hour, not just during times of personal prayer or public meetings.
One of the things I love about Chambers is his insistence that faith and obedience are daily endeavors, that the measure of my obedience and devotion is in the little things. It’s easy to be excited about obedience to God’s call for me to teach — -I get public recognition for that; it’s much harder to be committed to obedience to the Spirit’s gentle reminders to speak kindly to my wife when I’m frustrated or tired. But the fact is, patience and gentleness, bearing with offence — -or rather, I should say, the need for these — -is much more a part of my life than the public ministry of teaching.
- filed in living the life, vision and goals
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Reflections on a Christ-centered, grace-filled life. Writer and teacher Dan Butcher's blog takes an eclectic approach to faith.
Unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.