Fool's Gold
Has life landed yourself in a place where you wanted to be? We often walk through this life with our intentions, purpose, drive, and goals in the forefront often creating a roadmap on how to achieve our final destination in our minds. However, sometimes the path takes a bit of a detour perhaps leading us in a different direction then what we had first anticipated.
It can be easy to become discouraged and walk away from God and the plan He has for your life when trouble arises. Our relationship with God, and our spiritual growth in Him can become gaunt and wither away if our focus becomes out of line with truth. Sometimes we may even be able to convince ourselves that the Christian walk is Fool’s Gold. Meaning, it is superficial and lacks real value, truth, and everyday life implications promised by God, often losing its worth, luster, and authenticity.
If God says all these promises, then why are these things happening? On the contrary, why are they not happening?
We do not understand the circumstances around us, but God knows the beginning from the end, and the end from the beginning. Situations where we think we ourselves have the proper outcome figured out may sometimes become reworked into God’s bigger masterplan. It is more convoluted then we think, often resulting in intense seasons of patience, twists and turns. When we walk into adversity, it is important to lean on the wisdom of Christ to help see the bigger picture. The Bible says,
“Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding,” (Proverbs 4:6-7).
At the end of the day we have a choice. A choice to see things with God’s perspective, or a choice to be the god of our own life. We can only make Godly choices with wisdom by our side and to truly understand and discern the things perpetrating around us or within us.
Through these tough seasons of questioning God’s intentions and understanding what is happening around us in our lives also comes an element of persistence. Persistence to think beyond the situation and to keep moving forward and refuse to stay stagnant and go after God’s intentions. In its original Greek meaning, persistence has two different contexts. The first one being the word, epimenó, which is defined as the ability, “to abide; to continue; to remain.” The second meaning of persistence is the word anaideia, which refers to, “shamelessness and relates to carrying out God’s plan with an unembarrassed boldness in faith.” Both of these definitions ensue a sense of aggressiveness that runs parallel to the plan Christ has for us no matter the cost or even when things look hopeless. We are not ashamed of our faith in Christ even when situations take a turn, for we continue to press forward.
We have some growing to do in order to think like Christ in these upsetting moments we face, or when our lives seem to be shaken up; and that’s okay. He meets us wherever we are at and continues to pursue our direction and overall welfare regardless of what we think of Him and what He has spoken about in our lives. In all, don’t let Christ become Fool’s Gold in your life.
And so, we leave you with this Word,
“Though You have made me see troubles, many and bitter, You will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth, You will again bring me up,” Psalm 71:20.
