WHATEVER

I love Steven Curtis Chapman, a Christian singer/song writer who I’ve been listening to since I was a kid. One of his songs that played on my playlist recently reminded me that it doesn’t matter what the world thinks or what I think I should be doing as long as it is WHATEVER God is calling me to do. This I always refer to as being in full alignment with God.

A few verses go like this:

I made a list, wrote down from A to Z
All the ways I thought that you could best use me
Told all my strengths and my abilities
I formed a plan it seemed to make good sense
I laid it out for You so sure You'd be convinced
I made my case, presented my defense
But then I read the letter that you sent me
It said that all you really want me from me is just

Whatever, whatever You say
Whatever, I will obey
Whatever, Lord, have Your way
'Cause You are my God, whatever

We often forget that God really just wants our hearts, and if we’re being obedient to what he is calling us to do then everything else will fall into place according to His plan. It might not look like the plan or picture we originally saw, but remembering to walk by faith in accordance with what He’s asking we can rest in knowing the end result will be even better than our preconceived ideas. It’s that trust factor, that faith muscle that’s so hard to activate and use on a day to day basis. That’s why I commit everyday to reading the Bible to help keep me focused and to stay on track, because this world and our lives can be so distracting. From Proverbs 16:1-4 it says, “ To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue. All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but motives are weighed by the Lord. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. The Lord works out everything for his own ends- even the wicked for a day of disaster.” We can see here that King Solomon (which is the wisest man to ever have lived) is telling us that the final outcome of our plans is in Gods hands, and it’s truly on us to ask for his help in guiding us as we make plans. If they are in alignment with Gods plans for our lives we can trust in knowing they will work out. We can think at times that our motives are coming from a good and Godly place, but honestly and I’m guilty of this too, it can come from a selfish place and God is going to give us a self check and make sure it’s for His glory and not our own. That’s a reality check! As it says, “commit to the Lord WHATEVER you do” this is the most important part of our daily choices is that true commitment to listening, planning, asking for His help and guidance, and trusting Him to work it out in His way and His time that we will find success in our planning. Even when things are out of our control, and there are others at us or against us, heck even our own sin, this could be illness, disasters, death, loss, addictions, etc, God can use the wicked (the bad, sin, evil, immoral, wrong, ungodly, etc) to create plans for our good. He’s God, He can use and He can do anything! As I’ve mentioned before, sometimes this can take time, I mean like years, decades, who knows, but trusting God and surrendering your timeline to Him allows him to work in your favor for you and at a much quicker pace than you making Him continually having to work to get you back His path for your life. FAITH!! ACTION!! You must have faith in order to be successful in trusting Him. So whatever! Do whatever He says, the only way to know what he’s asking of you is to spend time with Him and also by reading His Word.

How do we know our plans will succeed?

1. Your plans must be put into action

2. Trust God through your plans with the ability to ask for His continual guidance

3. They must align with Gods truth

4. They must be real-life conditions

5. Your heart must be in the right place, not a selfish place

God is good, and His ways are better than our own. Trust in knowing God loves you, and he wants the very best for you no matter what. So do WHATEVER HE SAYS, AND WHATEVER HE WANTS, and He will bless you!