The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruins.
I don’t know about you, but I can find it difficult being told what to do. Many of us have had negative experiences of authority in our lives; times when we have felt misunderstood, used, or even manipulated by those above us, older than us, or more powerful than us. It is easy for us to project our earthly experiences of authority onto our impression of who God is.
Rather than trusting in who God is and how He tells me to live, it is easy to drown out His voice with the clamor of this world, or even with my own chattering – choosing to listen to my own fears, desires, and plans over His.
One of the most memorable sermons I heard about choosing to submit to God’s commands was based on James 1:19-27 and summarized the verses as follows:
Shut up.
Listen up.
Calm down.
To be able to accept God’s commands, we need to quieten our minds and take time to seek our Father’s heart.
Sovereign Lord, your ways are not my ways. I’m sorry I struggle to come before you and listen to you. Would you help me trust that your commands are what’s best for me? Calm my heart, dispel my fears, tame my tongue and open my ears to you today.