Christian Living

Taking God Into Account

by Travis Darnell
02/17/18
Free to Share
Author requests article critique

  Message Writer
  Hire Writer

Tweet

            Lot to be sure, was a child of God, but he was not the kind of child Abraham was. Lot thought very little of putting himself in a compromising position, by choosing to live in Sodom (Genesis 13: 8-13). Lot was earthy not spiritual, never looked towards eternity and it seems that he rarely looked towards God. Lot only seemed to care about what seemed satisfying for this life, for his happiness. Lot was not an out-right sinner like the rest of the population in Sodom, but bad company corrupts good character (1 Corinthians 15:33). Lot seemed to not care how his choices would effect his relationship with God.

            How seriously do we take our own relationship to God the Father? In our decisions and choices, do we ask ourselves what does God want, what are His desires? How do my decisions and choices affect Him, in His being? How do they make Him feel? “If I do this or that, will it strengthen or weaken my relationship with God?” God’s purposes and our relationship to Him, should take precedence and should be the great fact as to how we make our choices, our decisions and where we put ourselves i.e., our environments, schools, homes, finances, our relationships, etc. The choices and decisions we make can tell us much about how much value God is to us in our lives. God knows that I have made countless decisions without taking Him into account. Thank God for grace. Thank God I'm still alive. But our choices and decisions also tell God Himself how much we love and value Him (again, thank you God for long-suffering with me still). We must never underestimate the effect we have on God and His heart.

           Our relationship to God should grow to such a point where we come to have no agendas of our own, but only that which will further His agendas and purposes through and in our lives. This relationship should completely engulf, permeate and influence every choice we make, what kinds of environments we habitually hang out in, who we spend time with, all of it. It is our job as God’s children to keep our inner and exterior lives as uncluttered and uncomplicated as can be, so we can make room for God and give Him the time to work in us and through us. Our relationship to God must be the one common denominator as to how our lives are shaped and fashioned.

           It’s important to affirm what scripture says to us, we are to be in this world, but not be of it (John 17: 14-16). We work in “secular jobs,” eat in the same restaurants as everyone else, go to the same doctors, etc. But it’s when we begin to blend into the world, take on its customs and attitudes, begin condoning what God condemns, that we slowly and subtlety begin to compromise our beliefs, begin selling God out and become carnal. By the “world” I mean anything in the world that can influence or anyone in society which does not acknowledge God and does not affirm Jesus Christ as Lord. Make sure you have the blessing of God in all your environments, relationships and finances.

          God never tempts us or will never put us in a situation or position where it will create less of a knowledge or dependence on Himself. He might very well allow us to go through some very dire straits at times, but it’s only for us to gain a greater knowledge and create more of a trust in Him. In our environments or positions in life, whatever they may be, if we find our hearts for God are being enlarged, even though it may not be easy, then it’s authored by God and we are to stay in it until He states otherwise. But if we find ourselves in the same situations or environments and our relationship with God is being compromised, then either God wants us to get out, or worse, it was never Him in the first place who put us in our situation or environment. We, like Lot, made our own choices, leaving God out. Do not choose your own testing grounds for the strengthening of your faith, allow only God to do that