Don't Misread The Signs

Proverbs 13:19-21 - A desire accomplished is sweet to the soul, But it is an abomination to fools to depart from evil. He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools will be destroyed. Evil pursues sinners, But to the righteous, good shall be repaid.

 

This chapter of proverbs speaks of our need to surround ourselves with all the Godly friends we can find.  God has a better chance of helping us to hear HIS plan for our lives…if we have HIS people speaking HIS wisdom into our mind and soul. He also reminds us that we need to be careful what we set our mind on….that everything we think we want or need is not a part of his plan.

 

It is very easy to misread the signs…and think what we want is what God wants.  But setting our heart on something we want too completely….causes us to lose our ability to assess its usefulness to God objectively.  A desire can bind your judgment…causing you to misread…or even manipulate the signs to get what we want.  We can even easily convince ourselves it is what God wants.

 

I admit that I needed this reminder.  Just this last week….I found myself in a most confusing situation.  I had thought….key word thought….deeply in my soul that it was time to retire.  The tiredness of my mind…the sweet thought of rest….gave me the inclination that God wanted me to move home and buy a house. I embraced the thought wholeheartedly…seeing every sign as a confirmation I had heard God correctly.

 

It is amazing to me how he used the friends around me…and even looking back…he tried to use some of my family to get me back on course from the start of MY rose colored plan.  It took him more than a week….of hard hits to my head…to convince me I had misread the signs….that I still needed to work….and not buy a house back home where I grew up.  I almost bought an overpriced home…that I would have had a hard time reselling for what I was willing to pay.  It would have been a bad financial decision…even though it would have let me live close to my mom and dad and sisters again.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder to keep my eyes fixed on you…and not let a desire I have go one moment without checking with you how it fits into your plan.  Forgive me for manipulating the signs to be what I wanted….and thank you for helping me to correct the vision before it was too late.  Help me to open my eyes and ears to what you want and need me to do for you here…where you have already placed me. Amen.