I recently discovered George had never been in the St. Simons Island lighthouse. How could this be? He grew up right there on the island!
Right then and there, I made it my mission to take him to the lighthouse. It was a perfect July day! Blue skies, ocean breezes, and bearable humidity. We arrived early, watched a short documentary about the lighthouse, climbed all one hundred twenty-nine steps, explored the museum where the light keepers and their assistants lived, and took lots of pictures.
The galleries view was spectacular and extemely different than the view from below. It wasn’t long before I started pondering how much our point-of-view influences our trust in the LORD.
“My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
“For 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 (NASB)
These are some of my favorite verses. It’s been many years since they first caught my attention and pressed me to take a more honest look at myself. Even now, I find almost all my struggles can be traced back to a lack of trust in God. Thankfully, I’ve learned to recognize the signs and stop the progress.
Procrastination is my first indicator. If I’m alert, I will catch myself. If I miss or ignore the warning signs, I’ll slip and slide my way down to reading my Bible from my own perspective and agenda. Soon after, I lose sight of the LORD and His sovereign goodness and love. Troubles always follow.
Don’t be discouraged! Our LORD always hears and answers our cries for help; even when it’s a mess of our own making. Sometimes there is mercy and grace, so we are spared the consequences. Others times we receive mercy, but the consequences come anyway. Either way, forgiveness and restoration is immediate. All we have to do is confess our sin of pride, and ask for help. And yes, trusting my own understanding, instead of God’s, is pride!
Most days, I read my Bible because I’m eager to hear God’s heart and learn His perspective on, well, everything. I’ve discovered something wonderful. When I choose to follow God’s way, my trust in Him grows. Next comes confidence in God and His ways. Confidence helps me let go of my need to understand God’s reason’s, so I can act. Putting action behind my beliefs is being faithful. And the faithful are overcomers!
Our lighthouse experience was a gentle reminder to remain self-controlled and alert; trusting the LORD with all my heart and not leaning on my own understanding (1 Peter 5:8 & Proverbs 3:5).
How about you? Does God remind you of lessons already learned? Why do you think He does that?
Kim, thank you for sharing your thoughts. I’ve been rolling your response around and around in my mind and find a pearl of deeper understanding emerging. His faithfulness and forgiveness actually allow us to come to a place of new surrender. His rescue brings us to a cross road of choice. Will we learn and let go of our understanding of what’s happening, or linger in a place of familiarity and continue to lean on our own understanding? I’m praying for my trust to be BIG enough to choose a new direction. His direction! Resting in His promise that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus and trusting Holy Spirit enough to grab His hand as He takes me in the direction God has for me…no matter how unfamiliar! Thank you for pressing me to press into Him!
How wonderful to think of God rescuing us from trouble of our own making and showing us mercy and grace. If we had only trusted His sovereignty and rested in His divine perspective the rescue wouldn’t have been needed.
Praise the Lord that He faithfully rescues us and forgives us when we call!!
What a beautiful picture! Resting in the arms of Abba Father. Reminds me of the verses in Hebrews 4 that talk about those who trust enter His rest. Thank you for your reminder! Praying we both fully experience His rest because we learn to fully trust in Him.
Oh Yes! The Lord reminds me of lessons learned repeatedly. Especially when I need a gentle reminder that my life and purpose is to glorify and serve HIM! It’s easy to lose sight of the big picture when we are standing at the bottom of the lighthouse…but when we rest in the Father’s arms HE gently lifts us into HIS embrace. From HIS perspective we have the opportunity to experience and see from a whole new viewpoint…one we would otherwise miss.