The motives of my heart are no impediment to the move of God once I have committed my life to Him. He can maneuver me wherever He needs me to be and uses my unconscious or even ungodly motives to get me there. Talk about a Sovereign God!
When we make the decision to absolutely follow Christ, committing to His Lordship, He will move us through our lives to support our choice of His will. In the moment of action, I don’t have to have a godly motive; it is inconsequential to God. There are several times in my life that I had a less than perfect motive, but God used that heart attitude to get me just where I needed to be. Why? Because I have made a life decision to be as close to Him as I can possibly be. And the Lord supports that choice even in my wanderings. This is how it works when we have made the ONE choice as Mary of Bethany did.
“There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:42 NLT
God is in Control
God is more in control than I have credited Him. He orchestrates my life to position me just where He wants me. Jesus Christ is my Perfect Shepherd and I am a sheep of His pasture. Being that perfect Shepherd, He knows just how to get me where I need to be. I am not saying that I can live willfully or in rebellion without consequences, but I have often found myself perfectly situated in God’s will even when I wasn’t aware of it.
When I was a shepherd, I could maneuver my sheep even in their “wrong fearful motive.” I’d coax and cajole to get them into the very position I needed. And sometimes I would even use their fears to adjust them to my will. I was the shepherd and I was in control.
My Motives Can Lead Me to God
In my life I have seen God shift me into places even while being completely unaware. I would be seriously motivated for something and then find it was actually the path to the Lord. I may not have even had the motivation for God in the moment, but God still was able to pilot me into His space. This is possible because I have committed to His Will and Ways. No, not everything I do is God, but God is sovereign over everything I do. My Heavenly Father is truly Lord over life—MY life.
ALL life is sovereignly ordained; that’s my revelation here. God directs the steps of His children. He brings them home, guiding them to Himself. We don’t have to know the whole of the plan. We don’t have to have a full view to make a single step. This goes back to being in the present moment. In the moment, I often don’t know the path I am walking, I only know my next step. And because the Lord is God and in control, that is fine. The Father doesn’t need me to be cognizant of why I am moving and what is motivating me. My motives are no match for His sovereignty.
The steps of a [good] man are directed and established by the Lord when He delights in his way [and He busies Himself with his every step].
Psalm 37:23 AMPC
I have to admit John your last few writings about love and loving yourself and cold love and now this it’s like you’re writing exactly how I feel about our Merciful God and how Sovereign he truly is.
Thank you Michael, so pleased that they are speaking to you as a confirmation! This whole series has been wonderful for me. And there are more to come. Thanks for commenting!
Thanks John…Love it!!!
Love you Jim! Miss you man.
Yes! And amen!
Big smiles and love to you Tammy!
This was a very encouraging word.
Thank you for that Bruce! So pleased it touched you. Love you man.
Your surrender, single eye, your choice and then your respect and love for yourself are evident in your following the Shepherd wherever HE leads you. “I may not have even had the motivation for God in the moment, but God was able to pilot me into His space. This is possible because I am committed to HIS Will and Ways.” Bless you for guiding and helping me to recognize God is sovereign over everything with your respecting and acknowledging HIS Lordship. Your sharing not only gives me hunger for more of Him but you make His life in your life… Read more »
That is perfect Sue, thank you so much for this encouragement! So grateful it has these effects on you. May it be that was for everyone.