There is nothing more frustrating than misplacing something. If you're anything like me, you go crazy looking for what you lost, turning the room or wherever into something resembling a warzone! But sometimes, I "keep calm", retrace my steps, and I typically find the item a lot faster!
The same perspective can be applied with our journey with God. We may unconsciously drift away from Him to a point where we are soon lost, feeling like we're left to fight the battle of life on our own. But if we can remember to retrace our steps, we'll find that God is right where WE left Him, waiting with open arms. In fact, He's been beside us all along, speaking....when we're too lost to listen.
"...God has said, Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
Hebrews 13:5
I've recently been operating on auto-pilot, work, church, weekend, repeat! I fall into this trap a lot because I've barely made personal time for God! It's no wonder why I've been feeling so lost lately. I've been DOING so much that I've lost focus on what's most important. Well the Lord definitely called me out on this at our annual women's conference. This year's theme was about being "FOUND," by God, how ironic! (with me feeling lost lately). One of the topics discussed was about the importance of intimacy with the Lord.
"We're a generation chasing the DOING and refusing the KNOWING of the Lord"
-Mo Isom
Ouch Mo! That really hit me hard! We can often get our serving/church attendance confused with "knowing" God. He does honor our serving and the great things we do to bring Him glory, but ultimately, He is waaayyyyy more interested in relationship with us. It is the RELATIONSHIP with Him that corrects our character, establishes our identity, and ultimately directs our path to the purpose He has for our lives. Knowing Him personally, is how we come to understand our true calling, causing us to go from being Lost to Found. Without God's wisdom, we go astray, leading us to unknown territory or down paths He never intended for us.
"The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps."
Proverbs 16:9
“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord!
We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.
’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’
(Matthew 7:21-23)
To hear the Lord say He never knew you should be terrifying! But what's even more scary is He was talking to "Believers of the Faith" These were individuals that had been DOING the work of the lord but they didn’t really KNOW Him personally! This puts a major emphasis on the need for intimacy with the Father. Had these "believes" truly known the Lord, & spent time with Him, He could have directed their steps and they would have been able to discern their faults. Maybe they made their serving about them, maybe they made their ministry an idol! It wasn’t what they were doing that was the issue (because it obviously did some good), it was their heart or motive behind it! We do a good job of hiding our true intentions, but who knows the heart better than the Lord?
"...Give your people what their actions deserve, for you alone know each human heart..."
(1 Kings 8:37-39)
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
(Psalm 51:10)
It's so easy to get caught up in the duties of life that you lose sight of WHY you are even doing them, especially in the church! The only way to ensure our hearts remain positioned before God is through consistent intimacy with Him. He's the only one that can reveal the negative things we've suppressed in our hearts and bring correction. Without correction, we may get to a place where we think we "know it all" or think that we have the purest of intentions but in reality we don't, our human nature is often self-serving...that's why we need the Lord's guidance.
"There are those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth"
(Proverbs 30:12)
I've had to retrace my steps back to where things slowly started to fall apart. Sometimes when you're feeling lost you just have to turn around and go back to where the mistake occurred to lead you off track. Whenever I'm distant from God, I notice a change in my mood, my thoughts, actions, ect, and the busyness of life just further complicates it. Making quality time with God has to be a top priority over anything else!
My "Lost" feeling was a warning from God..."Hey daughter, we need some time..." So far He's been revealing the things in my heart that have led me astray and even the lies & burdens I've been holding on to this entire time. I have found my way again through Him! I encourage you to spend some time with the Lord. Check out the 10&Ten challenge on the site to get started...it may be challenging at first, but don't over think it! Talk to Him about everything daily! Just like you would your best friend.Get to know Him through scripture and worship. Just be consistent and intentional...God will honor your commitment then you will go from "lost" to "found" in many ways.
"Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.
Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.“I am the vine; you are the branches.
If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
John 15:4-5
Grace & Peace Be With You,
Kaneisha
***Press Play to Listen***