Rest: “Stop Trying To Be God”
In 2018 I had to learn as Travis Scott put it , “Stop trying to be God.” By that I mean, stop trying to do stuff my “own way” and my “own efforts”, opposed to relying on God. The phrase relying on God seems so vague but it is simple. Everybody has a different relationship with God but here is a small piece of my relationship with him. If something is causing me anxiety, I simply pray to God to speak to me through a sermon or the bible. It usually takes a day or two. That delay is usually on my part for being too lazy to “seek him.”
If the anxiety becomes too intense and I need an answer that day, I will:
- Turn off my favorite rappers Future and Shy Glizzy for the time being.
- Listen to a sermon or two that day. The pastor will usually speak to exactly the situation I was going through or give me an answer to what I prayed about. After nearly two years of him never failing to provide me with an answer I have grown to trust he “will never leave me nor forsake me.”
For example, last year I was smoking more than usual. I had just gotten a medical marijuana card about a month prior, yet my faith was telling me I wasn’t supposed to be smoking weed as a follower of Christ. One day I prayed to God, asking him If I needed to quit. Around 5 minutes later this popped up on my Facebook timeline from a girl I went to middle school with.
This did make me go on a break from marijuana for a few months and to say I stopped smoking is definitely a lie, but I am still relying on God’s grace to give it up for good. Hopefully I can in 2019. Either way, my point is, God can speak to you through many vessels(social media, songs, family friends, sermons, TV shows etc) if you just ask him.
Relying on God means asking him for help with every day situations like:
is this the right person for me?
“Is this the right job for me?”
“ Should I move to this city or stay here? “
“My co-worker was talking crazy out the mouth…should I pop off on him/her ?”
Lastly God always will give you an answer on what to do. Relying on our own efforts eventually leads to disaster. Sometimes the more we trying to fix a situation using our own capabilities it leads to more problems. That is why the bible says “lean not on your own understanding but trust in the lord with all your heart” (Proverbs 3:5–6)
As one of my favorite pastor’s Stephen Darby stated, when we don’t rest it is like an artist who is trying to paint a portrait of somebody who keeps moving. (God being the artist) When we don’t rest and try to do things our own way, without consulting with God first, it messes up the painting or the vision God has for our lives.
Rest is the state of being when you can relax and not stress because you know God is fighting all your battles.
Have you been trying things your own way for years, yet still not satisfied? What’s stopping you from asking God for help?
Don’t know how to begin to build a relationship with God, it’s easy. $Free 99
- Pray to God for his help.
- Wait on his answer through the different vessels I listed above.
3. Trust his decision. (something I am still working on)
Disclaimer: Being a believer in Christ does not make me holy or righteous. I believe in Jesus because as a human being I am the ultimate sinner, who sins daily, who needs a savior from sin.
I am not a bible expert, just a man trying my best to live right. This message was brought to you by the bible and Creflo Dollar. Link Below.
“Resting in The Finished Works of Jesus”