I do not always like to listen to things people say to me. I do not like to be told what to do, especially if I think I know better. Problem is, I rarely know better. I rarely know what is the best for me. And I have an arrogance with God sometimes thinking I can walk through this life without his direction or will. And its not so much that I think I can do it without him, but sometimes I do not like what he tells me, so sometimes I ignore it altogether. I have had to learn the hard way before, in my past, where I ignored God’s complete and clear direction. I never want to repeat that. I was empty and hurting. And worse, I felt distant from God. I never want to reach a point in my life again where I am choosing my will instead of God’s. Every time I have ever chosen my way, I end up hurt. Oh irony. God created me. He knows everything about me- what’s good and what’s not. He knows every intimate thing about my life. So why I am I ever defiant to him? Why do I ever think I know best? Hello! He created me therefore he must know what he is doing!

“Obey what I tell you. Do exactly what I command you. Your obedience will close the deal. You’ll be mine and I’ll be yours.”  [Jeremiah 11:4]

It is far too stressful to go about life thinking I can handle everything without help. Without guidance, I am just a fool wandering. There is so much I can miss out if I do not try to listen for the clarity of God’s direction in my life. Every decision I make, especially life-altering, better be brought to God first. He becomes my ebenezer– my cry to God for help because I cannot do it on my own. God is my all. I need to trust him that He knows best. Whatever I do, if it doesn’t take me to the place where I meet God- that ebenezer moment, then it doesn’t matter.

[Ebenezer root words mean “stone” and “help”…”stone of help” from the Hebrew]