Mind Your Own Business

Mind your own business! Anyone ever tell you this? Or maybe it’s something you have said out loud, or thought in your head? Any way you slice it, it doesn’t come off very gracious. But sometimes when we get sidetracked from “what we are doing” because someone else has stepped in our way or questions our plan, this phrase could easily flow off our tongue. What’s complicated is when that someone is God. Although it should be tougher to tell Him to mind His own business, I bet there are times we all have.

We create a plan for our life and chart a map of our future, or at least what we hope our future will look like. But when our plotted course sets sail in a direction never purposed by God and all our striving hits roadblock after roadblock, are we able to shift our mindset and be open to a path we didn’t expect to be on? What if we paused, laid it before God and asked for His wisdom? What keeps us from letting go of “our” way and more readily walk in His? Proverbs 3: 5-6 encourages us to lean on Him:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. (NIV)

Submitting all our ways to Him, doesn’t mean we can’t have input. God allows us to try things, to enjoy new experiences, and even helps us endure hard seasons. But, if we keep going day by day, feeding our own desires, never asking God what He has for us—we are going to miss the best parts. We all have beautiful gifts and abilities from God. I don’t want to waste them, do you?

As followers of Christ, He is the only navigator we need. We can trust His leading even when we can’t see the entire path ahead of us. In scripture, we learn that our ways and thoughts don’t always line up with His:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV)

At your next planning meeting (with yourself), try a fresh approach. Invite the Lord to sit at your table and ask Him for wisdom as you formulate your thoughts. Seek His guidance for any perimeters He may set for you. And most importantly, allow Him full access to “your business.” It will mean putting God in the driver’s seat and you rejoicing as a passenger. As you release control you will gain so much more.