Seeing What Is

 

But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”      Mark 8:33

 

I went to the Chiropractor for an adjustment.  This man has a history of making me feel a whole lot better after I see him.  This time I made the appointment because my right shoulder was killing me.  It was so uncomfortable to sleep that I had to do something.  My chiropractor/magician squeezed my shoulder for a minute and asked me to lay facedown on his table.  He adjusted my elbow and I slept comfortably that night and every night since!

Though I’ve lived many years it is still amazing to me when things are not what they seem but there’s someone who has the ability to see things as they are.  Often when I’m uncomfortable it isn’t physical pain but things going on in the brain or emotions that are bothering me and it seems like one thing when it’s another – but it takes me a long time to see it.

Sometimes in my reading of God’s Word I realize that there is something I should do.  Make an apology, call someone that’s hard for me to talk to, get into or out of a ministry because that’s what God wants, or change the wording of something I’m writing.

Often, God has given me many clear directions from His word.  I know what He said but for some reason I’m uncomfortable with it.  I think, “that’s the work or the call or the need of someone else.” “ What will others think or say if I do this?“ “Where will I find the time to do one more thing?” “The wording I have now will do.”

It is not my current uncomfortable state that is the problem. That’s just a symptom of a deeper issue – like the shoulder and the elbow.  The problem for me in these instances of defying God is my pride.  For some reason I think the Creator of the Universe should not have the last word with me, that I know better than He does who I need to apologize to, serve, or work with.  Even in my writing, should I not listen to the One for whom I am speaking?  Is good enough good enough if God has clearly shown me a better way to say something?

He has given me many lessons on what pride does to us. Here are three:

• When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Proverbs 11:2
• Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice. Proverbs 13:10
• Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18

When we live according to these instructions we spare ourselves unwanted disgrace, unnecessary quarrels, and the humiliation of a fall. As promised, all God’s instruction is for our good. (Proverbs 2:1-8)

Like me, do you sometimes question God’s leading as if you know better than He does?  Meditate on these verses and then, let’s revisit the leading of the Lord we have resisted.

He is the only one who really sees things as they are, chiropractors not excepted