Acknowledge Him.

"What do you think?" After months of hardship and struggling... I had just finished pouring my heart out to a friend only to find that the release I had been expecting did not appear. Why do hard and painful things happen to those who love and follow the Lord?

2 Timothy 2:3 - Suffer hardship with me as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

One of the biggest misconceptions in the Christian world is that when we choose to follow Christ, we will have a pain and carefree life full of nothing but good. If that were the case.. Then why did God tell us that as a good soldier of Jesus... We will suffer hardship? The reason so many Christians get burned so much is because we do not realize that we ARE soldiers. We are in the midst of the biggest battle (the war over our souls.) On Sunday I had the pleasure of hearing an evangelist preach. I never thought the word would hit me this hard. Its amazing how the word always seems to clearly show our stupidity. We think we have it all right! While hardships happen.. People have grown accustomed to going to God and asking Him to take those hardships away. Many of us seem to not understand that the Lord HAS A PLAN and wants to DO A WORK in us. There is purpose to all He does.

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

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths (Pro 3:5)

This is where the title of this blog comes into play. God's word is so simple! But we make it so complicated. We try to develop formulas that will lessen our hardship in this life..We lean upon our own understanding. But if we would stop and acknowledge the Lord in every area of our life, we would see the direction of the Lord.. and we would see His plan. Instead.. When we experience any level or amount of confusion or pain.. We run to our brothers and sisters in the Lord for advice before seeking the counsel and direction from the one who has led us to that very place to begin with! Why is it so hard for us to trust the Lord? Don't get me wrong.. It is good to seek counsel and advice from our brothers and sisters in the Lord. But when we go through hardships... Isn't it true that the one who will understand and know the best is the Lord? He is the one that is directing and guiding our steps.. That is, if we have been acknowledging Him in all of our ways. I can look back at so many instances in my life where I have asked the Lord why something has happened.. And have gotten no answer. Now I see in hindsight that it was my failure to acknowledge the Lord in everything.

Practical Christianity! The word of God is so good.. It is so true. We make so much more hardships for ourself when we fail to DO the word practically in this life. How can God direct our steps if we haven't even been acknowledging Him in all of our ways?

ALL OF OUR WAYS.

Not just in the area of what career to Pursue. Not just in the area of what to say on Sunday morning. IN EVERYTHING WE DO.

When we start acknowledging the Lord in everything.. Only then can the Lord use us in a mighty way. So when you experience hardship in this life.. Look to the Lord and trust. Know that He has a plan and allow Him to do a work in you because God will use anything that appears bad for the good of those that love the Lord.