Going with God’s Flow

               Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5 NASB)

                Sometimes it is difficult to abide in Christ, isn’t it? Our human tendency is to run ahead of God rather than rest in his presence.  Being extremely analytical, I have usually played through a dozen different scenarios about the future rather than wait on God’s perfect plan. However, it seems no matter what elaborate screenplay I cook up, it never turns out like I imagined it.  I have to remind myself of this characteristic of God:  

            “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8,9)

            It’s difficult to abide isn’t it?  I can remember attending a spiritual retreat where after every message there was an art project or skit required to further cement the message.  I had figured out the pattern so during one of the talks, I was already putting together an elaborate skit in my mind.  Afterwards I began to discuss this with the ladies I sat with and one of the retreat leaders kept saying to me, “Do not anticipate.”  I kept on planning.  As it turned out, there was no project after the message and all my planning was fruitless.  

            I think another way to say “abide” is “go with the flow.” While I believe it’s important to have a plan, we need to be flexible enough to go with God’s flow.  We can’t be so attached to our plans that we are unable to divert when the Lord leads us down another path. I always like to work up an agenda for ministry trips but nine times out of ten, we end up throwing it out because God has a different plan in mind. It is always a whole lot better than anything we could ever imagine. His thoughts are not our thoughts.

            Today I am trying not to anticipate as we are only one day away from our women’s retreat with Love, Serve, Shine Ministries, “It’s a Jungle Out There: Trusting God to Be Your Guide,” But I keep wondering how God will work in this retreat.  Will the messages be well received?  Will the women bond?  Will they love the music?  I keep hearing, “Do not anticipate.” But it’s so hard not to God!  OK, I confess there is also a tight schedule typed up for this retreat.  Old habits are hard to break! But this women’s retreat belongs to God.  If he wants to shake things up, I’m ready to toss the agenda because I want to go with His flow, not mine.

            I am willing to relax and abide, what about you?