I notice that many people genuinely love Jesus and desire to serve Him with all their hearts, but they want their love and devotion to Him to stay in a little bubble. It’s like a caterpillar that never becomes a butterfly because it is afraid of change. I have realized that many of us are so afraid of change that we would rather stay the same, even to our own peril. I am not judging them because I’ve been there, done that, and still struggle with it on many occasions. The irony is that we don’t like to change because we are afraid of the uncertainty or danger we might face, yet at times we would rather perish than change, which makes no sense at all. This reminds me of what Jesus said in Matthew 16:25, “For if you want to save your own life, you will lose it, but if you lose your life for My sake, you’ll find it.” So, when Jesus says, ‘If you save your life, you’ll lose it’, He is not only talking about physical death, but He was also referring to spiritual death when we refuse to let go of the way we think our lives should go. That can be different for each one of us. The areas where I’m stuck may not be where you are stuck. Maybe I’m stuck at unforgiveness and bitterness, but someone else struggles with a lying tongue or greed. Regardless of which old, wicked ways or patterns that we may choose to entertain, the one thing in common is that there is danger when we choose to stay on that wicked path.
The story that came to mind while writing this article is when David brought the Ark to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:1-7). It says that they were all celebrating before the Lord, and in verse 6, it says, “And when they came to the threshing floor of Nakkon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the Ark of God because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act. Therefore, God struck him down, and he died there beside the Ark of God.” What a day that was, and I want you to imagine how confusing this scene was. No wonder David was afraid of the Lord that day, to the point where he decided not to take the Ark of the Lord to be with him in his city. And I can understand David’s fear, after all, Uzzah simply wanted to help. However, he did not realize that the way he tried to handle the Ark was not the way that God had assigned for them to handle it. You see, Uzzah was used to a quick fix or to handling situations himself. This sounds like some of us who like to take matters into our own hands. Our way is to do things the quicker way, to curse them out, too, or to render evil for evil. This also reminds me of the passage of Scripture in Isaiah 55:8-9, when God says, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways.” So, when God asks us to do something out of the ordinary, it shouldn’t really surprise us, because God has already told us to expect His ways to be as the heavens are higher than the earth. Therefore, it really makes no sense for us to try to reason out God’s instructions. And let me tell you, the last time I tried to figure out God’s mind, I almost lost mine. So, going back to the story in Isaiah 55:8-9, neither David nor Uzzah remembered that God had already said that they were to carry the Ark on their shoulders and that they must not touch the holy things or else they would die. (Numbers 4: 15; Numbers 7:9). Levites were to use poles to carry the Ark, not oxen, because that’s how God wanted it. So, we can say that the way they chose to carry the Ark was contrary to God’s way. Therefore, what was supposed to be a moment of celebration turned into a moment of mourning.
We also have to keep in mind that choosing to be stuck in our ways cannot only delay our lives but also cause those connected to us to suffer. For instance, I have seen how my own stubbornness has caused me many setbacks and greatly affected those connected to me. That’s why I’m so grateful that God has a way of redeeming lost time, even if redeeming lost time doesn’t mean time stops moving. Through the years, I have learned the importance of God’s divine timing. I have seen moments in my life when God used people and sent them my way right on time, which means if this person had decided to obey God one hour or a day later, it would have been too late. I don’t know if you have ever experienced someone coming to your rescue right on time. Have you ever heard of or witnessed someone who was dying, and let’s say they needed a kidney for a kidney transplant, and they got the donor right on time, otherwise it would have been too late? I believe that when we fully understand that God has His own way and timing for doing things, we would be more flexible and quicker to His ways and timing rather than leaning on our own understanding.
Also, I think when we are set in our own ways, the next generation is at risk of paying the consequences. Throughout Biblical history, we see how God is so strategic in ensuring that each generation has access to His Word and knows how His Kingdom operates. God is aware that once we come into this world, we will automatically gravitate toward our sinful nature. Therefore, God will always raise up a prophet, a priest, a Samaritan woman, or somebody to proclaim His Word. And I have also noticed that when God wants to do something big on the earth, instead of trying to get everyone’s attention all at once, He often speaks to one person first. He would get that person to agree with Him, transform them from their wicked ways to His ways, and then use that person to help others do the same; hence, we experience a ripple effect. And I believe part of the reason is that God already knows that not everyone will be willing to be unstuck or change their old ways. When we forsake our old ways, we become a threat to the kingdom of darkness. Also, we must not deny that God’s ways will always create some tension, and not many people want to endure the heat that comes with the Kingdom’s lifestyle. Thus, many would rather settle for less.
We also forget that we serve a God who has seen all our days. So, the soil must be prepared for the next generation, and the work must go even further. That’s why, today, we benefit from all the hard work that our forefathers put in. Imagine how chaotic it would have been if things had remained the same as they once were since the Adam and Eve era, or even the disciples’ era. We would still be stuck riding on boats. Nobody would have known about cars, let alone how to drive one. You wouldn’t be able to read this page today, because we wouldn’t have known about the internet. We would still be preaching the Word of God, either by word of mouth or on scrolls. There is nothing wrong with these things, but we cannot deny that the means of communication are much easier and faster now. Even though the world’s evolution has its own troubles and there are so many distractions everywhere, I don’t believe God will give us the power to dominate that which is beyond our control. It’s all a matter of self-discipline, boundaries, or moderation. We must be mindful of our daily choices and discern what is worth our time. I’m so glad that God never stops saying, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:19).
We must consider our ways and ensure they align with God’s ways. Change is indeed scary and never an easy decision to make, but I’m sure you have enjoyed the benefits of a change you’ve made in some areas of your life before. There were probably some things or relationships you changed in your life and realized you became a better person as a result. But you would not have known that unless you made the decision. So, if we can see results in the simplest adjustments, how much more rewarding would it be to include God in every detail of our lives and do things His way instead?
So, let us forsake our ways; God’s way is always better!
SCRIPTURES
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55: 8-9
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6
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