Decisions, decisions...

You know to some people, the burning question may be, "What IS the meaning of life?"

And for some of us, the burning question may be, "WHY EVE, WHY?!?!"  Yah, I'm actually getting in line to ask that one...just saying!



But honestly, in this crazy world with all the variables & chaos flying around in life, the question needs to be, "Daddy, am I on the right track?"

You see, attack is going to come - it's just one of those realities that absolutely blows chunkies when you're a follower of Christ.

• You get attacked when you're doing RIGHT because the enemy of your soul wants you to fall so he'll cause fear in hopes you turn away.
• You get attacked when you're doing WRONG because you drifted away from the covering of God's protection. Now you're in the enemy's torment field being pushed around - and God's waiting for you to get out of there, and return to His protection.

A person can make themselves crazy trying to figure out what category they fall in when they're feeling the arrows of attack shot at their lives & circumstances.

When in the heat of attack, the solution is extremely simple - hard at times, but simple:

Nestle into the arms of the Almighty, lean into His chest, and hear His heartbeat.  His heartbeat for you, your family, and your circumstances.  Relationship with The Father is the most important thing to hang onto in this life.  It's not enough to know OF God, but to KNOW Him.  He's the best friend & guide you'll ever have.  Staying close to God is a MUST so during times of crisis you'll know clearly if you are to push past your pain, but stay on course, or change direction because you're on the wrong path.

We are living in such a "self help" age & society that it's very easy to forget that God wants to be involved in the operation of our lives - and let's face it...He'll do a MUCH better job of management that we could ever hope to do. 

First things first...PRAY
RUN, do not walk, do not pass go, do not collect $200 - but RUUUUN straight into your prayer closet, nestle close to God and be honest with yourself, and Him.  

If you're called to STAND FIRM
Ask which chaos this is. If you're confident you're on the RIGHT track, trust Him to cover you (with the peace that passes all understanding - Philippians 4:7), and He'll deal HARSHLY with the enemy who's sabotaging your circumstances.  Be at peace. God is bigger than your circumstances and will take care of the chaos, details, and the enemy who's trying to ruin your day. 

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life...  

²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?  

                                                             Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)

STORY TIME...Recently we were faced with quite a fork in the road & this very question - did we do right, or wrong in making ____ decision???  After much prayer & talking it out with my hubby, we decided God had ordained our direction and we were to hand this attack over to HIM - and not give another hour to it's yucky-ness.  Of course when we're stressed, our kids also can feel the anxiety - so we decided to take an impromptu family day.  We told our girls that we needed to Praise God through this storm, and stay in unity.  I could have sat at home to stew over all the possible terrible scenarios that COULD play out by our circumstances, or go play at DISNEY as a family.  Through the day we laughed, held hands, hugged, rode rides, and made silly jokes.  THE MIRACLE:  God worked out the circumstances WHILE we were out playing.

  
You MAY have to COURSE CORRECT
Be extremely honest with yourself. Admit you MAY have taken a wrong turn & God in His mercy is trying to get your attention to move you somewhere else.  If this is the case, hit the brakes as hard as you can (even if it gives you whiplash), and listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit to find your new direction.  Don't worry about your pride being bruised because you are not perfect...here's a SHOCKER - none of us are!  There, the pressure is off. Your storm will end the sooner you face it, and change direction to blow WITH the wind of the Holy Spirit rather than against it.  I've tried fighting against God, but in the end, He always wins - so the sooner you embrace that, the faster things will become peaceful because you've now put yourself back into the secure place of the leading of Almighty God for your life.

PARABLE OF CHRISTY...There once was a young dumb girl who thought she knew everything.  She made some decisions in life being independent & strong - dumb ones at that, but she wanted to do things HER way.  She went from one chaotic battle to the next, and the more she fought, the more miserable bitter, & weary she became.  Then she shook her fist at God in anger and said, "WHY, GOD WHY - don't You love me?" and He gently asked if she was done trying to do things her way, and trust Him with her life because He DID love her?  She ran straight into His arms, nestled into His chest, listened to His heart for her life, and she's held onto Him ever since.  Now she lives with peace and a LOT of laughter because she knows her life is not being directed by her own knowledge, but by the Almighty God's.

Proverbs 3:5-12 (MSG)

^5-12 Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
    don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
    he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all.
    Run to God! Run from evil!
Your body will glow with health,
    your very bones will vibrate with life!
Honor God with everything you own;
    give him the first and the best.
Your barns will burst,
    your wine vats will brim over.
But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline;
    don’t sulk under his loving correction.
It’s the child he loves that God corrects;
    a father’s delight is behind all this.

I see now how true it is; "It's the child He loves that God corrects" so when He asks us to put the brakes on a direction, it's because He loves us.  He's wanting the torment to END, and peace to reign in our life, family, and home.  Isn't that our motive for disciplining our children too?  It's out of LOVE.  So trust your life to LOVE.