The Thinker Strikes Again

Jeremiah 29:11, ' For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope'.

I am, indeed, my own worst enemy. To explain for those of you that do not know me well on a personal level, let me say I have had a lifetime of over analyzing things to death. I am a thinker and I think way too much. I blame it on being ambidextrous. Since I can use both hands, I believe I am the victim of having to think enough to appease both left brain and right brain. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.   

I ponder, analyze, look at something from as many different perspectives as I can come up with and, in general, can think myself into a paralyzed position. This has saved me on many an occasion and, sadly, been to my detriment on others. I have a friend that once told me I would shop myself out of everything I ever wanted…meaning I would debate with myself about justifying the purchase and put things back on the shelf more often than not (even in the grocery store), certain I would find it somewhere else for a better price, only to find I lost out on it in the end. I believe I do the same thing with all that prolonged thinking and pondering. The right side of my brain wants to go with my gut instinct, to jump off and try new things, to explore and delve into adventure. The left side considers the logical points and potential speed bumps in the road of life. If you think this sounds convoluted and hard to follow, you should try living in my head! On top of all that, I am a writer and I see storylines in almost everything…they live in there, too.

I had a ‘light bulb moment’ this afternoon about this very thing. I have been stuck in a crossroad and making myself, and anyone who would listen to me, absolutely crazy about what I should or shouldn’t do, which fork in the road to take, what direction to turn…blaa blaa blaa! I’m sick of hearing myself talk about it. So today, as I was reading yet another article on seeking God’s will for my life, God took the Left side of my brain and had me edit and distill the information. Like me, it was too wordy. Then, I distilled it again, seeking the essential nuggets within. When I got it down to the bare bones, the Right side of my brain kicked in and said, “Well, DUH!”

These are the bare bones God revealed to me which are involved when wanting to discern His will for my life:

First, if you really want to know God's will, you must be willing to do it even before you know what it is.   check

Second great principle for knowing the will of God is nothing can be the will of God that is contrary to the Word of God.    check

Third principle is the daily and even hourly fellowship with the Lord.   check

Forth, you must be prepared for the Lord to guide you into new ways.  check

I have looked for that postcard from Heaven with detailed instructions (left brain) while the desire for change (right brain) has struggled trying to walk a thin line to make sure I didn’t step out of His will or get ahead of Him and His timing. Being "in His will” is not a location or vocation or any one thing or another, it is a lifestyle of living for Him, serving and keeping your eyes on Him! So, as long as what I do or where I go falls within all of those parameters, I will be walking in His will for me. I have made this a much more difficult time and decision process than it needed to be. Good grief! That’s exactly what I caused myself, much grief. Can you imagine my relief as this sunk in?? I wanted to dance.

'The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way' (Ps 37:23).