Proverbs 31 OBS Week 3: Make me Willing to Obey

Here's the thing about waiting:

Either you're going to wait and see what God has planned 

OR

You're going to get tired of waiting and try to make it happen on your own.

The difference between the two is one word:  Obedience

Obedience is the difference between a life that glorifies God and a life that is spent in misery and picking up the pieces.

It would seem that obedience should be the clear winner because OF COURSE we want the Life that God has planned for us and that will glorify Him.  Who would choose a life of misery and picking up the pieces?

Nobody would willingly choose to live a miserable life spent picking up the pieces but we do it when decide to disobey God because we are tired of waiting, we are bored, or we are looking for temporary fulfillment.

I would be a liar if I said I haven't lost my way, gone off the path, and tried to find a better way.  Of course I have!  I got tired of waiting with "nothing" happening but I learned that the results of trying to do it on my own were FAR WORSE than the boredom of waiting and feeling like nothing is happening.

I decided to have a seat.

Obedience for singles...

Many people I know are single and they are tired of it.  They no longer want to be alone.  They want to find a romantic partner.  They are puzzled as to why nothing is happening. They internalize these feelings as rejection and worthlessness.

I understand where they are coming from because I was there a few years ago but I came to the conclusion that being single wasn't the issue.  I was the issue.

When it comes to obedience for singles it can be a slippery slope since people feel like that because nothing is happening nobody wants them, they are unworthy, and they're destined to be all alone. 

If you're a single believer, then this is where you will be faced with a moment of truth.  

Do I accept this single season and obey God OR do I try to find relief and fulfillment in a get by relationship?

When nothing is happening, you're feeling lonely, you see attractive people everywhere, and everyone is happy in relationships on Facebook the second option doesn't sound so bad.  

It doesn't sound so bad...but is it worth it?

I think it costs far too much in the end to get caught up in these get by relationships.  The misery, pain, and drama just isn't worth it.

So what do you do?

You ask God to Make you want to obey him...That's why I like the New Living Translation version of the scripture for this week.  Psalm 51:12

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
    and make me willing to obey you.

I also like the New Life Version

 Let the joy of Your saving power return to me. And give me a willing spirit to obey you.

Obeying God doesn't come naturally to most of us.  We want to be like Fleetwood Mac and Go our own way....but the more you get to know and obey God, the more you see his way is much better than yours.

He also allows you to see some of the disasters that you have avoided by following him.  

This truth is what is getting me through the wait and see season.  I can see that if I went my own way and things went how I wanted them to I would be in for a very big disaster.  I can see that disobedience to God does not pay and ends up giving you some pretty painful results that will last a lifetime.

Willing Spirt to obey you = Learning what you are supposed to be doing

As I said, many single people focus on their circumstance and not what the single season is actually designed to do which is to train and equip you for the next assignment.  

Your single season also helps you realize that being single isn't the issue:  You are.

I only understood this after I stopped being distracted and started being willing to obey what God was trying to show me.  He showed me my heart was not right, I was not marriage material, too focused on self preservation, and He  needed me to get my mind right.

We will not understand the joy of our salvation until we stop trying to go our own way and we become willing to obey God.  

Plus God is faithful.  I told y'all he provided me with some lovely chocolate encouragement to keep on keeping on. 

Our salvation is not in relationships, jobs, money, materialism, etc.  Those things provide temporary happiness and fulfillment.

Our salvation is in God alone.  When we get back to that important point we will have real joy.

Sure God likes to take the long way home and detours but it will be worth it in the end.

My prayer now is for God to give me a willing spirit to obey and to want what HE wants for my life. What I wanted would have given me nothing but disaster and heartache.  Keep the Faith!

To God be the Glory!