O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walks to direct his steps.
– Jeremiah 10:23
Thoughts on Today’s Verse…
This is Jeremiah’s understanding. Indeed, we are incapable of control our own fate. What we are going to do every day, or whom we are going to run across all have been arranged by God. But many times, we are unpleased with what befalls us, and even more, we speak words of complaint. Once God’s arrangement is not in line with our will, we will think what God arranged is not good, and we will use our own way to change it, thus, we live our lives more and more painfully. What’s the root cause of the pain?
God says, “Because people do not recognize God’s orchestrations and God’s sovereignty, they always face fate defiantly, with a rebellious attitude, and always want to cast off God’s authority and sovereignty and the things fate has in store, hoping in vain to change their current circumstances and alter their fate. But they can never succeed; they are thwarted at every turn. This struggle, which takes place deep in one’s soul, is painful; the pain is unforgettable; and all the while one is frittering away one’s life. What is the cause of this pain? Is it because of God’s sovereignty, or because a person was born unlucky? Obviously neither is true. At bottom, it is because of the paths people take, the ways people choose to live their lives … After you recognize this, your task is to lay aside your old view of life, stay far from various traps, let God take charge of your life and make arrangements for you, try only to submit to God’s orchestrations and guidance, to have no choice, and to become a person who worships God.” God’s word points out the root cause of our pain, and shows us the way to practice: From now on, whatever happened, good or bad, we should seek God’s will first. After we understand His will, we obey His arrangement without our own choices or requirements. Then, God will be pleased.
