I have been thinking and praying about the vital importance of obeying God recently. Society has placed such a high priority on “me, myself, and I”, and this has replaced the vital importance of obeying God, even when it is very difficult to.
It has come to the point where many of us are willing to disobey God’s commands, because we believe our happiness is most important. Many of us (myself included at times) have not even noticed how we have been influenced by this way of thinking.
When we choose our own happiness over God’s commands, we are headed down a dangerous road. (Little do we realize at the time that life and joy are found later down the road when we choose God’s way.)
When I was at my peak of struggling with same-sex attraction and begging God to take it away, I could have decided that my desires were more important than what God required of me. I could have decided to do what I wanted, because He chose not to make those attractions vanish when I pleaded for Him to do so.
In many ways I did do these things, but I am so thankful I finally chose to obey God, despite what I wanted to do. Did I do this perfectly? Definitely not, but God’s grace enabled me to keep getting back up and moving forward with Him.
In many ways, I now recognize that my struggle (along with other struggles I have had) was made much more difficult by believing my idea of happiness was more important than anything.
I use this particular example, because this has challenged my faith over and over again. A Christian’s struggle with same-sex attraction is often much deeper than those who do not struggle could ever imagine. I have had to ask myself many times:
Will I choose my feelings, desires, apparent happiness and what often times feels like something I need…or will I choose God?
Will I choose the way of destruction (that looks and feels good), or will I choose what GOD says will give me life?
Will I choose what feels absolutely necessary to live this life happily (even if it goes against what God says), or will I choose God?
God’s commands are to be above my desires.
These are all very difficult crossroads that each one of us come across many different times in our lives. Some are much more difficult than others. We will find life when we choose God’s way.
Will you choose your own way, or will you choose God’s way?
“For 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)
