Listener or Lord?

So often we pride ourselves in the fact that we pray about everything.

We take our needs to God. He listens. Then we walk away and try to fix it ourselves. Or just keep thinking about how impossible our needs appear. If it was meant for you to figure it out, the solution would be your solution, and not Divine. It would exalt you, instead of bringing Him the glory.

Sure, we love God. He's our Savior. Our Deliver. He's our Healer, Redeemer, and Provider. And He's always such a great Listener...

But is He our Lord?

The definition of lord is, "a master or ruler, someone having power, authority, and influence."

It's easy to let Him deliver us, save us, provide for us, and heal us. We even work hard to serve Him and do many things for Him. ...but are we letting Him be the Lord of our lives?

When we make decisions without consulting Him, and waiting for Him to show us the way, we are ruling our lives. Lots of people will let Him listen to their concerns, but don't trust Him enough to wait on His response and do what He leads them to do.

Allowing others to influence our decisions above what God would want for us, is allowing them to be lord. It's easy for people to throw out advice, but you can not know exactly what God wants for you until you truly seek Him for yourself.

Giving your circumstances the authority to rule your mood, your emotions, your decisions is declining God's proposal to provide peace, love, and joy through every situation.

Recently a friend asked me, "how can my Christian friends be so rude and so down? How can they be saved and not be loving or joyful?"

Oh, that's easy! They love God, but they are not letting God be the Lord of their lives. They are rude because they are treating others the way they think they deserve to be treated, not allowing Jesus to be Lord and treating them the way He taught us. They are so down because they are disappointed in their failures and circumstances, not allowing Jesus to be Lord and trusting something beautiful is in the works.

How do I know this? I was that person. I have always loved God with all my heart, but there was a time in my life when I let Him be everything to me except Lord. He was my Great Listener. I told Him all about my issues with deep details, and He listened. Every single time. However, I'd get up from my prayers and go try to run my life. Repeatedly.

During this time I found that I was unhappy, rude, selfish, moody, and frustrated. I was that good Christian girl who would firmly tell the waitress why the food was not to my liking. I was that good Christian girl who would explain loudly why I felt like I was done wrong. Maybe I was right. Maybe the food was not what I ordered or the clerk rang up my items multiple times. But since allowing Jesus to be Lord of my life, I try to treat others with kindness. Always.

Maybe that waitress can't concentrate because she hasn't had time for a break during her 12 hour shift and her blood sugar is low. Maybe the clerk is exhausted from staying up all night with her sick baby. Instead of looking out for me, I try to think about others now.

I have a long way to go, and sometimes have to actually bite my tongue, but I have found this: When you upgrade Jesus from Listener to Lord, He upgrades your whole world.

The sadness, rudeness, selfishness, moodiness, and frustration disappear. It's easier to see things in a loving manner.

Oh, and don't kid yourself if He is Lord of most of your life...He must be Lord of all or you are not truly letting Him be Lord. There is no half way with this. If He only has authority over your finances, but not your tongue, He does not truly have authority.

Here's what I think...when He is Lord of all, the pressure's off. Your deeds or words or thoughts are no longer dictated by yourself, others, or circumstances- which will all fail you. When Jesus is Lord of your life, each moment is trusted to Him. If something happens that isn't pleasant, you don't feel like you caused it; you see it as a learning opportunity. What was God trying to teach me? What was I supposed to say to that waitress or clerk to encourage them?

Of course my life is not perfect, but it's better than it was. Each day is a gift and some aren't even given that. Each trial is growing me. Some are dying instead of growing.

I'd love to say that it's easy to let Jesus be the Lord of your life, but this is not the case. Letting go and letting God reign on a moment to moment basis, is the hardest thing I've ever done. However, it has brought me more peace and joy than I could express in a blog...that is why I felt like I should share all this with you.

So I challenge you to try it: Let God go from Listener to Lord and watch Him change your life!

Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

Such a great verse, but read it carefully..."saith the Lord"...If He's not your Lord, He's not speaking to you! Let Him be Lord and claim His Word!