I've been thinking about something Steven Covey has written. What happens if we are trying to find our way in Detroit using a map of Miami? No matter the orienting skills we have, we can never find our way.
That has been me too often. When I try to do things with my own map, I find just great frustration. I work and plan and that then evolves into plotting and manipulating and even conniving and law breaking which I justify by the perfectly wonderful "end" that I demand. "Mom doesn't need this money as much as I do, and she can make more anyway." "I need just a few office supplies for my small business; my boss will never miss them." "My friend will never miss a pill or two and I'm really stressed and need something to take the edge off." From small cheatssliding into bank robbing, drug dealing and murder, we all have an excuse for our bad behavior.
But things change amazingly when we trade in our map and map-reading skills for the map God has drawn for our life and we seek to ramp up our skills for following God's lead more closely.
The next time I am tempted to control someone else's behavior, I will choose to trust them to God's care.
The next time I am tempted to take an unethical "short-cut" to achieve my goals, I will choose to trust God to get me where I am supposed to be, rather than to the goal I set for myself.
The next time I am tempted to want what someone else has, I will choose to thank God for only giving me what I can managed safely.
The next time I want something NOW at any cost, I will ask God to help me develop the skills I need to fulfill HIS purpose in my life on HIS timeline.
Abba, Father, take my ideas and mold them to conform to Your wise plan for my life. Take my longings and abilities and show me how they are to be used according to the plans You have for me. Take my impatience and direct my attention to that which is truly important. AMEN
That has been me too often. When I try to do things with my own map, I find just great frustration. I work and plan and that then evolves into plotting and manipulating and even conniving and law breaking which I justify by the perfectly wonderful "end" that I demand. "Mom doesn't need this money as much as I do, and she can make more anyway." "I need just a few office supplies for my small business; my boss will never miss them." "My friend will never miss a pill or two and I'm really stressed and need something to take the edge off." From small cheatssliding into bank robbing, drug dealing and murder, we all have an excuse for our bad behavior.
But things change amazingly when we trade in our map and map-reading skills for the map God has drawn for our life and we seek to ramp up our skills for following God's lead more closely.
The next time I am tempted to control someone else's behavior, I will choose to trust them to God's care.
The next time I am tempted to take an unethical "short-cut" to achieve my goals, I will choose to trust God to get me where I am supposed to be, rather than to the goal I set for myself.
The next time I am tempted to want what someone else has, I will choose to thank God for only giving me what I can managed safely.
The next time I want something NOW at any cost, I will ask God to help me develop the skills I need to fulfill HIS purpose in my life on HIS timeline.
Abba, Father, take my ideas and mold them to conform to Your wise plan for my life. Take my longings and abilities and show me how they are to be used according to the plans You have for me. Take my impatience and direct my attention to that which is truly important. AMEN
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