Experiencing GOD: Bewildered?

In Blackaby’s Experiencing GOD, he talks about GOD-centered living, “To live a GOD-centered life, you must focus your life on GOD’s purposes, not on your own plans.” Henry continues to suggest:

• I must seek to see from GOD’s perspective rather than my own distorted human outlook.
• Understanding what GOD is about to do where I am is more important than telling GOD what I want to do for Him.
• GOD’s revelation of His activity is an invitation for me to join Him.
• GOD develops my character to match the assignment He has for me.
• GOD has the right to interrupt my life. He is Lord. When I accepted Him as Lord, I gave Him the right to help Himself to my life anytime He wants.

Having processed through unit two of Experiencing GOD, I was struck by a devotional thought my wife left me this morning from Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest. The repetition of ideas and seeming “coincidence” of timing were too rich, so I share it here with you:

The Bewildering Call of GOD

GOD called Jesus Christ to what seemed absolute disaster. And Jesus Christ called His disciples to see Him put to death, leading every one of them to the place where their hearts were broken. His life was an absolute failure from every standpoint except GOD’s. But what seemed to be failure from man’s standpoint was a triumph from GOD’s standpoint, because GOD’s purpose is never the same as man’s purpose.

This bewildering call of GOD comes into our lives as well. The call of GOD can never be understood absolutely or explained externally; it is a call that can only be perceived and understood internally by our true inner-nature. The call of GOD is like the call of the sea–no one hears it except the person who has the nature of the sea in him. What GOD calls us to cannot be definitely stated, because His call is simply to be His friend to accomplish His own purposes.

If we are in fellowship and oneness with GOD and recognize that He is taking us into His purposes, then we will no longer strive to find out what His purposes are. As we grow in the Christian life, it becomes simpler to us, because we are less inclined to say, “I wonder why GOD allowed this or that?” And begin to see that the compelling purpose of GOD lies behind everything in life, and that GOD is divinely shaping us into oneness with that purpose. A Christian is someone who trusts in the knowledge and wisdom of GOD, not in his own ability. If we have a purpose of our own, it destroys the simplicity and the calm, relaxed pace which should be characteristic of the children of GOD. — August 5 devotional entry from My Utmost for His Highest