Psa 32:8-10
8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.
10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.

In Oswald Chambers’ devotional readings, he talks about being “abandoned to God” and what that means. Basically, it requires giving up your desires and demands that life be a certain way, and allow God to lead, guide and make the decisions. Seems a little extreme to my carnal, whiny self, but it is biblical.

In Psalm 93, we are clearly instructed to ask God to teach us His way. What I have always found fascinating in this verse is that He will guide us by His eye. What does that mean? I believe it not only means that He is watching over us and will guide us as we go, but that we are to continue seeking His face to see where He wants us to go next. Let me explain.

When my children were small, and they were acting up, I could give them “the eye” and they knew they were in trouble and had better settle down. If they were running around the sanctuary during praise and worship practice, I could, without a word, direct them with my eyes as to where they were to go and sit down. Also, good friends or close married couples can look at each other and know what the other is thinking at times. All of these examples show people in intimate relationships with one another, allowing for non-verbal communication, and that is what is required between us and God to be guided by His eye.

The next verse describes how God sees us when we are obstinate and demanding our own way. We have to be bridled and made to go the right way, and that is not beneficial or enjoyable for the horse or the rider. Either we haven’t seen His guiding eye, or we are insufficiently intimate with Him to understand what His eye is saying.

The last verse, however, explains the solution – trusting in the Lord (that DOES seem to be a recurring theme in scripture, doesn’t it?). Sorrows are the result of not trusting Him, as we will fight Him for what we believe is best for us, but trust in Him brings the mercy (or loving kindness) of the Lord.

Psa 33:20-22
20 Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.
22 Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.

Imagine a life where every step was guided by Him and you didn’t have to worry about what decision to make. That is the idea.

I spend a lot of time unconsciously thinking about what I want out of life. Then, when I don’t get it, I am discouraged: a trouble-free marriage, a good paying job, recognition for my accomplishments, to name a few. However, what if I gave up those desires and goals? What if, when I looked at my life, understanding that God has a plan to prosper and not to harm me, to give me a hope and a future, that I just said “Whatever”? Whatever you say, Lord, whatever You choose, whatever happens, I will accept it as from Your hands and trust You that this is leading me to where You want me to be, and that it will eventually be a good place where You will be glorified and I will be made into the image of Jesus.

I know this flies in the face of how we have been brought up and how we live our loves, but imagine a life with no disappointments because you aren’t expecting anything. Imagine life as a guided tour all over the universe and you are along for the ride with the Owner and Creator of the universe, who happens to be your Father. Everyday, he promises to take you on a trip with Him, and He promises to take care of all your needs along the way, like when we went on vacation with adults when we were kids.

I’m going to try to say “Whatever” to God every day, and truly attempt to be abandoned to God.

Penny Haynes
http://ChristianWomenWithDepression.com