daily devotional

We all seem to have a real space issue. If we can remedy this issue, life will start working! Interested? Listen up!

James 4:7-8 (MSG) “Let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time.”

God’s will is his plan. It’s his way. Scripture tells us his ways are higher than our ways, and his plans are to prosper us and give us a hope and a future. So, why wouldn’t we want God to work his will in us? Why would we resist him? Why would we insist on doing things our own way?

Sometimes I believe it’s a trust issue. We are afraid we won’t really like God’s plan as much as our own, so we fight him. Other times I believe it’s simply a space issue. We’re busy doing our own thing just trying to make ends meet and we honestly forget we were never meant to do this on our own. We have been given direct access to our almighty creator, we have the ability to allocate his power through prayer, and yet we don’t. Instead we opt for worry over prayer. We opt for pity over power. We opt for our own 2nd rate plan instead of seeking the BEST way. We push him right out and we don’t even know it.

Are you ready to try this thing God’s way? Are you ready to let him work his will in you? I’m telling you he’s been waiting for the opportunity to prove he has goodness in mind for you. He’s been eager to jump in the middle of your mess and start fixing, but you haven’t let him. Today, we let him. We let him work his will in us. How? Yell a loud NO to the devil and say yes to God.

So, let’s put together that game plan for this Thursday. Whatcha say?

First, we gotta remedy this space issue. We must create space for God. If we will create space for God in our lives, he will show up and do something awesome. But the truth is, we’ve cluttered and complicated our lives to the point that there’s just not a whole lot of room for God. And then we wonder where he is? “God, where are you in this whole mess?” And God says “Girl, you crowded me out a long time ago.”

But what I love about our God is if we will offer him the slightest open door and invitation back into our lives, he will come running. He will be there in no time and he will snuggle right up to you. He never wanted to be distant from you. That was your own doing. And it happens so gradually and naturally that we don’t even recognize it. We elevate relationships that crowd him out. We fill our days with obligations, distractions, and noise. Now when there’s a moment not dedicated to something specific, we whip out our handy dandy little distraction device and we scroll. What was an opportunity for God to fill us up and work on our behalf is now replaced with our incessant need to stay connected while we are painfully DISCONNECTED.

There’s no space for God. Where in your day is there an opportunity for God to speak clearly to you? When is there not noise and distraction?
Have you crowded God right out of your life? Sleeping in until the last minute possible not leaving any real time for him? Resisting silence as if it’s some sort of cruel punishment to your mind. Refusing to slow down long enough to realize what you’re doing simply isn’t working.

And not only have we allowed no space for God in our distracted, overwhelmed, stressed way of life today – we’ve created the perfect environment for our enemy to thrive. You bet your butt the devil plays in your distracted mind. He’s filling your head with negative thoughts, doubts and fears because you have left your mind unguarded. Your overwhelm is his opportunity to render you incapable of making your potential impact in this world. Oh yes, stay overwhelmed – then your intended work goes undone. The enemy wins, you lose … and you let it happen.
And what are we to do? Yell a loud NO to the devil and watch him scamper. I won’t settle for distractions. I won’t allow for feelings of overwhelm to overtake me. I won’t live my days stressed. Back the heck up devil, you’re not welcome in my life. I don’t want your lousy thoughts. I won’t settle for your plan for my life. I refuse your bait of distraction and division. You say I don’t have time, but devil you’re a liar.
We make time for what’s truly important to us. I’ve decided it’s important to me to let God work his will in me. It’s important to me to find his way instead of fight for my own. It’s important to me taste the goodness he has planned for me, I know it will blow my mind and be better than anything I could have ever concocted on my own.
Don’t you feel the same way?

If you will take one step towards God, he will take a thousand steps towards you. If you will give him the slightest open door, he will come running in. Then things will start working in your life. Then things will come together. Then relationships change. Then breakthroughs happen. Then chains are broken.

How can you take one step towards God today? It really isn’t complicated. There’s no magic formula or scripted prayer. Just create space for him.

Intentional space for him to fill and do his awesome work. Will you give him space in your day? Set a timer on your phone for 2 minutes, 3 minutes, can you offer 5 minutes today? A few minutes of silence to just allow God to speak into you. This is space. If you give him space, he will fill it. You likely won’t hear a thundering voice saying “go here and do this”. You likely won’t see flashing lights and signs in bold letters. You may even come to the end of your quiet time unsure if anything happened. And of course the enemy will try to convince you that was a waste of time. BUT IT ISN’T. You’re just creating space for God. And when he has space, he works!

The space you give him today is an invitation for him to do what only he can do. Extend the invitation!
Will you give him space in your marriage? How could you do that? Stop for a moment and consider that your way isn’t the only way. Maybe, just maybe you’re NOT RIGHT and if you will humble yourself and ask God to guide you, soften your heart, zip your lips, and surrender to him, he will impress upon your heart exactly what you should do … and it won’t be impossible.

Will you give him space in your work? How about your finances? In your health?

Will you stop long enough to say “Hey God, I don’t want to keep doing this my way – Will you show me yours?”

If we will give him space, he will do something awesome. So lets make our commitments now, when will you yell NO to the devil by turning off all the distractions and say yes to God by creating space for him? When today will you do that? While you sip your coffee? While you go for a walk? During your lunch break? You may have really good intentions right now, but if you’re not specific with your commitment, this day will pass you by and you will fail to follow through.

God has something he’s been wanting to say to you. There’s something he’s been wanting to do for you. Will you give him the space to work today? Yes? WHEN?