Jeremiah's Prayer

"I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own;
it is not for man to direct his steps.
Correct me, Lord, but only with justice-
not in your anger,
lest you reduce me to nothing."

Jeremiah 10:23-24

Oops... I guess I thought my life was mine. This says something different.

Alright, so maybe I know that my life isn't my own- it belongs to God. However, how often do I live that way? It's a challenge, really. Life is all about self these days. Most of my thoughts are about self.

-Stressing? I'm thinking about myself- and probably throwing a pity-party, too.
-Worried? I'm being self-centered. If I wasn't so worried about myself, most of what I "worry" about wouldn't matter. Also, it's important to check to make sure that self-worth is in its correct place- Christ.
-Angry? Is it because of a misfortune that happened to... my SELF?
-Doubtful? Something may not go MY way... instead of trusting that no matter what happens, God is faithful.
-Jealous? Stop comparing my SELF with others and judging them and start imitating Christ, instead.

I could go on, but you get the point. The brutal truth of the matter is that we all spend a great deal of time focusing on our self and our life. We feel as though we have ownership to it and how it should unfold.

What did Jeremiah's prayer say? "It is not for man to direct his steps."

Thank goodness for that. Although we sometimes wish we had the reigns, it is so nice to know that Someone more powerful and mighty and awesome is directing the way. I believe that God gives us choices in our life that are beyond our capability to handle so that we learn how to fully rely on His grace and guidance. If everything were easy to figure out, why would we ever come running to the throne of grace? Why would we ever fall on our face before Him? Why would we ever plead for guidance and wisdom? That is the point. God wants our hearts, and sometimes the only way to get them fully commited to Him is to give us challenges. As we continue to seek His face, He delivers us- and in the end, we are so much more stronger because of it.

"Correct me, Lord, but only with justice- not in your anger, lest you reduce me to nothing."

Correction is a bittersweet feeling. I have learned to love the taste of chastisement because it means that the Holy Spirit is alive and working in my life. What does the Holy Spirit do? He comforts, guides, and corrects. The Lord corrects those He loves... so when you feel the sting of correction, remember that you are loved!

The Lord is powerful and mighty, and is capable of "reducing us to nothing." Sometimes, I feel as though I have a sugar-coated vision of God. He is just, but He also judges, and His power is not to be underestimated. It's important to respect and revere God in His awesomeness, and not take for granted our many blessings.

I came across this prayer of Jeremiah tonight and wanted to share it, because it struck me in its reality.

Love you all!

T