I love Him more that white picket fences...

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2 ESV)

In continuing with the last post, I’ve determined that the worldly view of success (to acquire and achieve) is not God’s view of success. My true contentment does not lie in reaching some attainable goal in status or material possession. God given peace and contentment comes from my growth as a spiritual being and from following the example of Christ as the ultimate guide for my life.

For the members of the body: (Note that I don’t say for church attendees, but members of the body, those whose hearts truly love Jesus and want to follow Him.) How do we apply this to our daily lives?

It changes everything.

So many of us grow up being taught to strive for the American dream. Unfortunately, the self-sufficiency that comes with the American dream usually comes at the cost of losing our dependence on Him. We lose our desire to follow His will and instead follow our own will. This leads to disastrous consequences of many forms and fashions. Our ambitions apart from His will in our life are a result our trying to fill an emptiness in any way possible. We try to fill our holes with money, or success, or a relationship, or drugs, or alcohol, or work, or even sometimes our own adherence to religious rules by means of obligation instead of love. I’m not sure who to give credit to the phrase “God-sized hole,” but none of these things, NOTHING, can fill the God sized hole in our hearts but the love of Jesus.

I remember in the first years of college people would often ask me what I plan to do with my life. Of course I would give my ambitious answer of what degree I planned to receive and what successful occupation it would lead me to in the future. To my closest friends though, I would also share the additional details of MY plans. That is, what I really wanted more than anything was a white-picket fence, a husband, and a couple of kids.

My “white-picket fence” dream was referred to and lamented over many times over the years. Looking back now, it is clear to see it was one of the things I was dreaming of to fill the gaping and empty hole in my heart. I know that I did not give mind to God, or His will in my life when it came to thinking of MY future. He already fit neatly in His tight little box which I would only take down occasionally on Sunday mornings or when I needed to ask for something.

So far at this point, over a decade later, God has decided to not bless me with that dream. What He has given me instead is a changed heart and a longing for the eternal instead of the temporal. Praise Jesus! Who knows; He may lead me in the direction of a white picket fence someday. But if it is not His leading, I want nothing of it. Instead of conforming to the pattern of this world, I have the opportunity to be transformed by the likeness of Christ himself.

I have peace knowing I am a daughter of God. His love for me gives me greater joy and contentment than any early desire could ever contain.

Will my desires on earth come true? Yes. IF, by a transformed heart, my will becomes His will.

“Delight yourself in the Lord,
And He will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord;
Trust in Him and He will act." (Psalm 37:4-5 ESV)

Is there any desire in this world that is above delighting myself in my Father’s love and committing myself to Him?

I truly believe that when we earnestly and genuinely delight in the Lord and commit our ways to Him the desires placed in our hearts shall be equal to His own.

A couple of lines past the above verses at Psalms 37:7 states:
“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.”

So, even when something is HIS will, we may not receive it when WE want it.
Oh, how the Lord continues to work on me in this area!

More on that “patient” word later…