As my husband and I were taking our early morning walk today (Sunday), I began thinking about what I was going to cook today. Since I had oral surgery last Tuesday, I have been eating soft foods that don’t irritate my sore mouth. I therefore began thinking of all the soft foods that I might cook.
A couple of days ago, I was listening to a tape by Tony den Hartog (see God Is One) in which he said something to the effect that rather than making our plans, we should get quiet inside and let God reveal to us the plan that is already made and which is perfect. Tony wasn’t talking about a God out there
but rather the I AM that I am
which is my true identity and which already knows everything that has been ordained for me.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Tony’s statement really caught my ear; I knew it was important for me. I immediately stopped the tape so that I could ponder that idea in my heart. Unfortunately (I thought) I very quickly fell asleep. But now I believe that was the best thing that could have happened. I believe I was able to contemplate the statement on a level where my human mind couldn’t get in the way of my hearing from the Spirit—which, in turn, led me to what I am about to write.
As I was walking and thinking about cooking plans, I asked myself what would I cook if I made the decision intuitively (with the mind of Christ) rather than with the human mind. I knew it really didn’t matter what I cooked, but I was just using this as an example to illustrate an important principle.
I was immediately bombarded with an onrush of obstacles that must be overcome to do that. It would mean that I would have to consider man’s wisdom as foolishness to God 1Corinthians 3:19 and also the reverse: God’s wisdom as foolishness to man 1Corinthians 2:14. Man’s wisdom instructs us to do that which is reasonable and logical while God’s wisdom often instructs us to do the opposite. Man’s wisdom tells us to follow the rules while God’s wisdom tells us that the rules kill and that life comes from the Spirit alone.
If I were to get quiet enough inside to hear from the Spirit, I knew I would have to tune out all the other voices. I put it to myself this way: What would I decide if I didn’t consider:
- What is most cost effective?
- What would my family members like best?
- What do I have on hand that needs to be cooked?
- What does my conscience say I should be doing?
- What is the healthiest?
- What would take the least time to prepare?
- What would be the best for my mouth?
- What is the right thing to do?
- What is the most responsible thing to do?
- What am I afraid of doing or not doing?
I thought of the Scripture:
Proverbs 16:9 A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.
I used to think this meant that I was to make my plans but that when they didn’t go as I had planned, I would know that they weren’t God’s will and that I should just accept whatever happened as being God’s will. I don’t see it that way anymore.
I now see that we have two choices. We can either choose life see Choose LIFE, Part 1
or death. We can, as Tony said, make our own plans based on human wisdom or get quiet and allow the God inside (our true identity) to reveal the plans already ordained for us. In other words, we can devise our own way or allow the Lord to direct our steps.
It sounds easier than it is. In my own case, I have been so brainwashed
by my Christian orthodox upbringing that I can quote Scriptures to justify considering everything that I now know I must not consider if I am to follow the still small voice inside, the Christ mind which reveals God’s plan to me.
I now have to ask myself, What do I really want to do?
or What do I FEEL like doing?
rather than What SHOULD I do?
Again, my orthodox Christian upbringing stops me short, telling me that if I do this, I am just selfish and self-seeking, looking for a license to sin. I am like the people in Paul’s day, thinking that accepting God’s grace can only lead to sin Romans 5-6.
But I’ve lived the other way, always trying to do the right thing, that which is my duty or responsibility, that which will make other people happy, and have reaped the consequences of making my own plans to get the best results. The results
have been strained relationships, intense anxiety on my part, and the inability to make a decision and go through with it. I have become a people pleaser, pleasing no one.
I don’t yet know what I will cook today (because of course it really doesn’t matter what I cook); maybe I won’t cook at all. But at least I heard the voice directing me to write this contemplation. I didn’t write it from a sense of duty or because it was something spiritual.
I wrote it because I FELT like writing it, because it was what I WANTED to do. I had no plans for writing today. I know that on that walk I got quiet enough inside to let God reveal His plan for me. And it FEELS GOOD!