Mari speaks: "Letting Go"

Marilyn is a full-time business student in SIM; she loves making new friends and sharing her life with them.

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps." -Proverbs 16:9

Most of us have dreams, there are always things in life that we want to achieve, desires we hope to fufill one day, maybe even some that nobody else knows about, but you. That is why the bible says in his heart a man plans his course. It is good to be ambitious and to strive for things in life, working out where we go from here.

The next part however says that it is the Lord who will determine your steps. Does this mean that we may plan all we want but it is no use because God forces us somewhere else? No, God can only determine your steps if you allow Him to, if you surrender it to Him. Think about it when you are walking, why are you taking each step. Obviously it’s because you are headed somewhere whether it is to the restaurant in Orchard, to school or to visit a friend. When you are walking it is because you have already made up your mind to go somewhere, there is a destination, but it is your destination. Each of our footsteps are ordinary steps that merely bring us to places of the same level ground.

But when you let God determine your steps they are stepping stones that allow us to climb up to places of higher ground, we are elevated.

But in order for this to happen are we willing to surrender all to Him? I mean really?

How about those friends you love, what if God brings us to a place where the only friend we have is Him? What about those hours you apportion to study, what if God tells you to drop it altogether and go and seek Him right there, right then. Are we going to miss the Kairos moment? What if God asks you to swallow your pride and go and talk to that social outcast? You have a whole career path laid out in front of you, what if God has plans for you to be a self-sufficient missionary and throw away those big bucks you could have earned in the future. I know, one can nearly cry just thinking about it.

Are you hungry for more of Him or are you contented just staying where you are? Don’t be lukewarm but be hot. If you want to advance you definitely need to know how to let go. I'm learning that every day too, it's such a struggle for someone who's used to having her 'freedom' and following her own emotions and feelings. It's not gonna be easy, but i really believe that we'll never be completely contented and happy if we ignore God's signs and choose our own path, no matter how seemingly wonderful and even noble that path will be.

I walk by faith, each step by faith. To live by faith, I put my trust in the Lord and surrender the plans i have in my heart to Him.