Many times, we get so caught up in our own way of doing things, that we often leave God totally out of the equation. We enter relationships, make decisions and pursue specific courses of action, without consulting God first.
We rely on our own instincts, "gut feelings," as well as advice from friends and acquaintances, to act as our life's compass. But this shouldn't be so; we need to be led by the Spirit of God. That way, we won't falter and end up in bad situations.
I can recall when I first started out in entrepreneurship and publishing. I remember how much time I would spend surfing the net and looking for information & resources to help me along the way. I recall frantically combing over articles, buying books online and borrowing them from the local library, all in an effort to gain more insights. I tirelessly sought out answers, templates, models, and examples to give me a basis upon which to build.
But you know what?
I was out of balance. Although there's nothing inherently wrong with expanding our knowledge base and working hard to acquire new information for our personal, professional growth and development, we have to be careful. Otherwise, we run the risk of relying on everything and everyone but God to direct us.
When God first began dealing with me about making an impact in the world for Him, my first inclination was to perfect my knowledge. Rather than heightening my sensitivity to God's voice by: Seeking Him in prayer, reading the Word, worshiping, and immersing myself in His presence, more often that not, I pursued man-made techniques, perspectives, and methodologies. I was so afraid of not knowing what I needed to know, that I would periodically find myself losing sight of the fact that God rewards those that diligently seek HIM (Hebrews 11:6)... not other people, information, and things.
I forgot all about God's order, which is, seeking Him first. Then, all the rest of the "things" will follow (Matthew 6:33).
Have you ever been guilty of overlooking God's direction and seeking worldly wisdom? If so, you know that after a while, you begin feeling burnt out, frustrated and unproductive; because only God is able to give true revelation as it relates to our purpose and destiny.
So, as I drew closer to God and began allowing Him to lead me, He showed me that I needed to stop spending so much time searching for answers in other places. In fact, He showed me the disproportionate amount of time I spent seeking answers instead of seeking His face. I knew then that my behavior was extreme and unhealthy.
Today, I encourage you to seek HIM. Draw nigh to Him. Isaiah 55:6 says, "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near." James 4:8 also says, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." The closer you get to Him, the more He can and will reveal to you.
As I found myself stealing away to be with the Lord more, I became less dependent on outside knowledge, opinions and insights, and more dependent upon that internal leading of the Holy Spirit to order my steps. Once I stood still and tuned my ear to God's voice, I could better see how out of balance I had been for so long. I finally understood why I felt stretched so thin and pushed to the limit. It was simply because, I had placed God, the source of my wisdom, strength, joy and peace, on the back burner in pursuit of worldly knowledge.
At the time, I didn't realize that what I needed more than anything else, was divine wisdom and understanding. All I needed to do was follow Him. When I became a better follower of Christ and less of a follower of trends and friends, doors began to open for me. I saw God's favor at work in my life.
That's why I can confidently say, when you seek Him, you'll discover your purpose. Remember, all that we are and all we could ever hope to be, is found in Christ alone.
As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!
Dianna Hobbs
