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If I won’t listen to God then what is the point of our relationship?

“But my people didn’t listen, Israel paid no attention; So I let go of the reins and told them, ‘Run! Do it your own way!’ (Psalm 81:11 MSG)

What happens when I don’t listen to God? It’s not like many think, that Christians must follow rules or else be shamed and punished by a vengeful God. Much worse than that, God lets me run things my own way. He lets go of the reins, letting me wander off-course.

For a goal-oriented person, the worst punishment is to deviate from the most efficient path to achieve the objective. It’s like a road trip to nowhere with no time schedule and no itinerary. Sure, I could probably use a vacation like that, but I don’t want it to become my life. When God lets go of the reins it is because I have lost sight of the goal and meandered off-path, unable to hear the Master call. I may get the urge to go my own way, but it’s only going to slow me down in getting where I truly need to go. It’s better to listen first than to have to back-track to get back on course.

Listen to "Have a talk with God"

If I won’t listen to God then what is the point of our relationship? I can’t expect things to go well with anyone if I don’t ever listen. When I ignore the words from one who only wishes the best for me, I demonstrate a lack of love for both him and myself. If I walk on ahead without first checking in with God, I’ll soon find myself walking alone. The question then is how long will it take me to realize I’m walking and talking to myself rather than continuing my conversation with him.

What do I need to do today? I need to give up thinking I want to do things my way. The last song I want to sing is, “I did it my way.” When I do it my way I am limited to achieve only what is in my power. Why would I want to limit myself doing it my way? The person who wants to do it “my way” is destined to temporal gains and long term defeat. I prefer eternal gains and long term victory.

One practical reminder to get off on the right foot each day is when I open the door to leave the house I hear God saying, “Going my way?” And I say, “Sure am. I’m going your way, too.”