All of us, at some point or another, have gotten up in the middle of the night and stumbled in the dark to reach a light. Perhaps like me, you’ve tripped over unknown obstacles or fallen onto rearranged furniture on your way to the light.
That is a dark (forgive the pun) picture of what our lives are like, lived in the dark without the wisdom and knowledge that comes from a daily exchange with God and His Word. Just like the obstacles that clutter our path in the dark, there are things that clutter our spiritual path. We fill our lives with things, many of them good-intentioned, that distract us in our pursuit of the intentional journey.
Psalm 119:105 says, Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path (NLT). God’s Word is available, but if our lives are too busy—too full of clutter—then we can miss His direction. It’s easy to make a wrong turn or end up head over heels, doubled over in pain because the obstacles were unavoidable in the dark.
What do you need to de-clutter in your life before you can walk the path God intended you to travel on? Is your life full of emotional clutter? Are there relationships that tug and pull you in directions opposite of the path you should be following?
We need to know which path to travel and then remain intentional in pursuing that course. You may have a strong desire to do the right thing—marry the right person, take the right job, say the right thing—but you have to know what is right in order to make choices that are aligned to God’s intentions. You have to know what is right, so that you can do the next right ONE THING.
When children are small we tell them, “Don’t touch the stove; it’s hot!” Children who have not experienced “hot” have no concept of “hot.” Often, they’ll do the very thing we told them not to do because they didn’t know what “hot” meant.
The answers to life’s questions are found in the Bible. While it doesn’t say that Joseph Jones should marry Elizabeth Smith, it does tell us how to live the intentional life in Christ. It sets a standard by shining the light on what is pleasing and displeasing to Christ. You can find answers to questions like:
• How can I be a better spouse or parent?
• How should I live my life so that others see Christ in me?
• How can I communicate better with my spouse and children?
• What is success in God’s eyes and what is failure.
• How should I handle an injustice done to me?
• Is God really there when it feels too difficult to go on?
• What is integrity and how can I trust God to do the right thing?
Like the child who touches the stove, if we do something that we did not know was wrong, the result is often the same. We can suffer the consequences of our choices. Again, that’s like fumbling around in the dark. But through our time spent in God’s Word, we can understand God’s direction and instruction for our lives. As we study His will and way of doing things, we can experience light on the path He has set before us.
Our Intentional God provides direction and instruction for you each and every day.He has a plan and purpose for your life. It requires a new discipline to pick up the Bible and study His word a little each day. But if you’ll do it; you won’t find yourself way off course, stumbling in the dark. He will light your path each step of the way.
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Are you dealing with emotional clutter? What steps will you take to remove the clutter? Post your comments below.
