We tend to think that if Jesus
Christ compels us to do something and we are obedient to Him, He will lead us
to great success. We should never have
thought that our dreams of success are God’s purpose for us. In fact, His
purpose may be exactly the opposite. We have the idea that God is leading us
toward a particular end or a desired goal, but He is not. The questions of
whether or not we arrive at a particular goal is of little importance, and
reaching it becomes merely an episode along the way. What we see as only the
process of reaching a particular end, God sees as the goal itself. …It is the process, not the outcome, that is
glorifying to God. God’s training is for now, not later. We have nothing to do
with what will follow our obedience, and we are wrong to concern ourselves with
it. What people call preparation, God
sees as the goal itself. (July 28)
…if you
will allow Him to take you to the end of
your self-sufficiency, then He can choose you to go with Him… And that will
mean the fulfillment of purposes which
He does not discuss with you.” As Christians we are not put here for our own
purpose at all—we are here for the purpose of God, and the two are not the
same. The most important aspect of
Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationship we maintain [with Him] and the surrounding influence and qualities produced by that
relationship. (August 4) (Emphasis mine)
God called Jesus Christ to what seemed absolute disaster. And Jesus Christ called His disciples to see Him put to death, leading every one of them to the place where their hearts were broken. His life was an absolute failure from every standpoint except God’s. …because God’s purpose is never the same as man’s purpose. Our real test is in truly believing that God knows what He desires. The things that happen do not happen by chance—they happen entirely by the decree of God. God is sovereignly working out His own purposes. If we are in fellowship and oneness with God and we recognize that He is taking us into His purposes, then we will no longer strive to find out what His purposes are. As we grow in the Christian life, it becomes simpler to us, because we are less inclined to say, “I wonder why God allowed this or that?” And we begin to see that the compelling purpose of God lies behind everything in life, and that God is divinely shaping us into oneness with that purpose. A Christian is someone who trusts in the knowledge and the wisdom of God, not in his own abilities. If we have a purpose of our own, it destroys the simplicity and the calm, relaxed pace which should be characteristic of the children of God.” (August 5)
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