The Story of My Life

And the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king gave him his oath. 2 Samuel 19:23

Recently, I was asked what I might speak about at a church event. I responded that I’m a bit of a broken record as I really have only one message, which is this – When I follow me and my way, I make myself miserable. When I follow God, seeking and following his will, I find life, joy, and peace. I certainly don’t do it perfectly. I still have my life struggles. But, in recovery from an opioid addiction, I’ve learned that I must daily work at abandoning my way to follow God’s. Living in rebellion against God is misery. When, however, I repent and return to God, he is always waiting with open arms, forgiving me for my failures. That’s my story and that’s what I will always speak about.

This is also the lesson of today’s passage, in which King David illustrated God’s posture towards us. In the story, as Absalom’s rebellion failed, those who’d opposed David had two options. They could bend the knee, begging forgiveness, or they could continue to fight. King David mercifully forgave those who repented, allowing them back into his kingdom. The passage goes on however, to tell of a man named Sheba, who continued to lead men in rebellion against David. King David, of course, was not so forgiving with Sheba, who literally lost his head at the end of the story. David forgave those who repented and delivered painful consequences those who refused.

Daily now, I have this choice – To live for me and my way or to abandon my way so that I may seek and follow God’s will. My temptation today may not be drugs, but drugs were always just a symptom of my greater life problem, which is that I simply want to do what I want to do. Unfortunately, my will often lies in opposition to God’s will. When I follow me, though I may find immediate gratification, I make myself miserable in my rebellion against God. When, however, I abandon my way to follow God, he makes me into who I was made to be, and I find the life for which I was created.

This is the daily choice we all face. Even if we claim to follow Christ, we can still live for ourselves, making ourselves miserable. If, however, we daily do what it takes to abandon our way to follow him, we may experience the life, joy, and peace for which we were created. I may be a broken record, but that is the lesson of my life and that is the message I will always deliver.