His Story, My Story (Not My Story!)

I have been a believer in Christ for almost thirty years now.  The road hasn't been easy. But looking back  the path I've taken, I realize (yes, this late) that "my" life hasn't gone as I have planned it. And that's the problem.  As a young Christian, I thought I knew what God wanted for my life. I've strived to accomplish that. I thought I had a good plan for  everything from who I would marry, my family life, my service to God and my career. I thought I had it all planned out and yet it looks totally different today. The  explanation is simple. I've tried to write my own story when I should have let God write it. 

This reminds me of Abraham in the Old Testament. God had promised him that he would make him a great nation. Abraham was old and his wife Sarah couldn't bear children any longer so he thought he would help God instead of waiting any longer (with the help of Sarah). He took Sarah's servant to bring forth Ishmael. But that wasn't God's plan. God kept his promise and Sarah was able to conceive and bore Isaac. Through Isaac, God made Abraham a great nation. Abraham tried to write his story. It failed.

Israel also did this. Jeremiah 18:2:  “But they say, ‘That is in vain! We will follow our own plans, and will every one act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’" (ESV)

But God is the potter and can mold Israel if she would only let Him. They decide not to listen to God and end up 70 years in bondage to another nation.

my art not His art

Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." 

The word used for "workmanship" is poeima in Greek where we get the word poem. We are God's work of art, His poem, His master piece, His story. He called us to follow Christ to write His story in our lives. He wants to show others his marvelous works through our lives (see 1 Peter 2:9). But we take matters into our hands and decide to write our own story and we fail. We fail to give God glory. 

But God knows us well and he can still write our story. We have to repent and turn away from our own plans (see Jeremiah 18:8) and let Him write our story (His story really!). It will turn out even better than ours.

As for me, I have given up trying to write my story. My story doesn't have "ME" in the center anymore. It has "HIM" in the center. I have no idea what it will look like. I just have to trust Him and follow His guidance.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, 
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
    and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him,    and he will make straight your paths." (ESV)