To Encourage You

Psalm 32:8-9 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.”

Life is full of decisions.  Some are pretty inconsequential, like what color of socks we’ll wear today.  Others are huge with life-long consequences, like who we will marry, what career we’ll pursue, and how we will use our money.  There are thousands of decisions that each one of us must make. So how can we know if we’re making the right ones?

Many Christians can be perplexed and anxious about their decisions as they ask themselves, “How can I know the will of God for my life?”  So, is this the way we should think? Should we stress ourselves out about whether we are making the right decisions in life?  Well, since the Lord has told us to “be anxious for nothing,” that answer is obviously “No!” But how do we actually keep ourselves from such anxiety? Well, the Scripture above gives us a wonderful clue.  Notice that God has made a promise to those Who know Him that He “will instruct (us) and teach (us) in the way (we should go).” He has promised us that He would provide His supernatural counsel to us. He has promised that His eye is upon us. He sees each and every one of us and He is well aware of every decision in life that we face. But again, He has promised to guide us in all this. So, how does He do this? What’s the method He will use? 

We get a major indication of this in the second half of the passage above.  There He tells us our role. He gives us guidance for remaining in the center of His will. He contrasts the way we should be with the way of the horse or mule.  They are without understanding. It is only by a bit or bridle that they learn to do their master’s will. A bit inflicts pain and the animal responds by turning the way that relieves that pain.  Otherwise, it won’t “stay near you.” Otherwise, it will just do its own thing.  We, on the other hand, shouldn’t be like this with our Master Who is in heaven. We should do everything in our power to willingly stay near to Him. So, how do we do this?

One of the primary ways is by spending time in His Word. It is in the pages of Scripture that He speaks to us.  He has told us clearly that His Word is “a lamp to (our) feet and a light to (our) path” (Psalm 119:105).  Likewise, our Master has told us to pray – about everything.  Again, He has told us clearly “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). He has told us to “Trust in (Him) with all (our) heart, and (to) not lean on (our) own understanding.” And if we will but do this, if we will “In all (our) ways  acknowledge him” He has promised that He “will make straight (our) paths” (Proverbs 3:6).

The bottom line in all of this is beautifully expressed in these words from David in Psalm 37:4: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” In other words, if we are loving the Lord, seeking Him in prayer, meditating on His Word, and obeying what He has said, if in these ways we will but “delight in Him,” the desires of His heart will slowly but surely become our desires as well. It is in that attitude that our decisions in life will be led by Him, for they will be borne out of our love for Him and our desire to love others around us like we love our own self. Isn’t that the greatest commandment? Isn’t that the way to live a life in obedience to our Master?

But if we fail, if we lose our way and even disobey, does that mean all is lost? Are we ever beyond all hope? The answer is “No!” For even in that, our Lord’s eye is upon us.  And although He may not relish to use the “bit and bridle” on us, just as we don’t relish the thought of correcting our own children when they do wrong, He will do this, if necessary.  As His children, the Lord doesn’t just let us to go along into hazards. He sees what’s ahead. He’s already there before we are.  And He asks us this question: “Have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.’ It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:5-11).

Isn’t that a wonderful thing? May God help us to stay close to Him. May He help us to delight ourselves in Him. But when we stray, may we heed the discipline that is sure to come, for His eye is on each one of us, and by instruction and discipline He will guide us through life.

Praise be to the One Who has promised to instruct us and teach us in the way we should go.