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Proverbs – When All Else Fails
Horror of horrors, I faced a gut-wrenching decision. Even as a child, when similar situations arose, hesitation to follow the correct path ruled. As an adult, life is no easier. Fresh in my memory are experiences of horror. “Should I, or shouldn’t I?” Often I make the wrong choice. I know why I make the wrong choice, and yet I find myself in the same situation once again making the same mistake, still knowing how to make the correct decision—but not making it.
Admittedly, occasionally I would make the obviously right decision, then grow restless. Disquieting energy pulsated through my body. Its hard doing the right thing. I was accomplishing the goal, but not quickly enough to satisfy my impatience. Ahh, impatience…so strong in leading me to not take the time to make the right decision. So I would knowingly and willingly do the irrational, and then expectedly get aggravated at failing.
Insanity, do the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. Aren’t we all insane at times?
Other times I too quickly jumped into the fray, right into the middle of my ignorance. Pride was the culprit, until my ignorance was larger than any man’s hopes. Humility, or should I say humiliation, gripped me. I gave in to the previously known and obviously right, but neglected, decision. Was I happy? No, my submission led only to impatience. Left as choices were two: either quit, or try the path of irrationality once again. Seldom did patience appear as a choice.
Doubtfully this disease as greatly affects women. Men, possibly because of an inflated ego, pretend for the world, especially our wives. We even succeed at fooling ourselves …until disaster. And even then we sometimes keep fooling ourselves.
Today, again it is decision time. Wise advice penetrates my thoughts… “when all else fails, read the instructions.”
Yes, this entire time I have been discussing reading instructions.
All the above mental gymnastics and anguish I feel as I push aside instructions. In succeeding to throw caution to the wind, I succeed time and again only at failing. Reading the instructions…simple and yet aggravating. Why is reading the instructions aggravating? It takes time and it take humility. Come on, haven’t you ever thought to yourself, “I can figure it out on my own.” And if you do, you feel so good about yourself…and make yourself even more stubborn and prepare yourself for more failure. I type “you” because I would never do any of this. Yea, right!
Reading the instructions. The same is true with God’s word. It is our instruction book. Paul told Timothy to “retain the standard of sound words.” (2 Timothy 1:13). Over and over again, in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, we see Moses reiterating the same thought again and again— “just as the Lord commanded.” And yet sadly Moses did not get to enter the Promised Land because he didn’t follow God’s instructions on getting water from a rock (Numbers 20). And think, if you ever needed to follow instructions, wouldn’t it be: 1) When God is instructing; 2) When trying to get water out of a rock? Have you ever tried that? Sounds like a good time to read the instructions.
Too many churches haven’t read God’s instruction book. Too many individuals try living a Christian life sans divine instruction.
How’s your prayer life? How’s mine? The disciples asked for instructions (Luke 11:1).
How’re your parenting skills? Our Heavenly Father filled Proverbs with His parental wisdom.
Do you want to know what prompted this confession? I, because all else failed, had to read the instructions to learn a computer program (sigh!).
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