Outcome

There are times when the outcome of an event or an experience was not at all what I thought it was going to be. At other times the outcome is exactly what I thought. I have learned that there are more things that I can’t control than the things I can control. I do think however, that the things I can control are significant in how I navigate the things I can’t control.  I realize that was quite a mouthful, but it reveals an understanding that I have come to as I keep walking with the Lord. The Lord can control anything and everything. I’ve been given the task of managing my response.

The people of Israel had been walking in disobedience before the Lord. The Lord had spoken to the boy Samuel about how Eli and his sons were disrespectful to the Lord and disobedient as the spiritual leaders of His people. The judgement came to pass even as they tried to use the Ark of the Covenant to manipulate the people and the army of Israel. Their plan failed miserably. Check this out…

¹⁷ “Israel has been defeated by the Philistines,” the messenger replied. “The people have been slaughtered, and your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were also killed. And the Ark of God has been captured.”

¹⁸ When the messenger mentioned what had happened to the Ark of God, Eli fell backward from his seat beside the gate. He broke his neck and died, for he was old and overweight. He had been Israel’s judge for forty years. (1 Samuel 4:17-18 NLT)

The people were devastated. They felt abandoned by God, when it was really the other way around. The outcome of their disobedience had finally come home to rest upon them. I am still learning that the outcomes of my life are heavily dependent upon the input that I take in. I have to filter the input into my mind and heart if I want good to come out.  I sure don’t have all of this figured out, but I’m learning that some of my behavior in the past was pure manipulation of God instead of simple trust in Him with the outcomes. I want to simply seek Him. I want to simply follow Him. I want to simply worship Him. I want to simply trust Him. I want to simply obey Him. I want to simply love Him. As I walk out my faith in the Lord, He manages all the outcomes of my life and I’m totally good with that.

Pressing On!

Dwayne