Commit Your Blog Post To God And See What Happens

Don’t you just love it when planning one thing and it turns out otherwise? Here is what I am talking about. On Friday morning, I had an idea for what to write. It is based on the Proverbs 16:3:

³Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed.

I got the above verse from the Amplified Bible. While reading, I got excited and prepared to write a story about committing my plans to God. After praying and committing the idea to my Father, I proceeded to write.

Guess what? My proposed story morphed from a blog post on committing plans to one about rejoicing and giving thanks. It made for a nice day after Thanksgiving story. What happened? Where did my proposed story go?

Here is what occurred. I committed my planned story to God, the Father and trusted him for help. The Holy Spirit directed my thoughts to line up with the Father’s will. It seems that my Father had a better plan.

In the end, I followed through with God’s plan and published two stories. The first is on rejoicing and giving thanks; it was followed by the current post.

I would love to encourage my fellow bloggers to try it, for yourself. Commit your blog post to the Father and see what happens. Please remember, it is not about you or what you think. It is about what God desires to say through you.

Once again Barry, you are on target. I remember a few months ago when I was sitting at an NA meeting, listening to folks share on the “Just For Today Meditation.” The sub-topic was on God’s will.

I sat through about a dozen people all echoing the same banter: “I don’t know what God’s Will IS but I do know God’s will isn’t. God’s will isn’t to use drugs!” While I don’t debate that God certainly doesn’t want us to do drugs; I had a problem with everyone claiming that they don’t know what God’s will is.

I’m sitting there saying to myself: “You don’t?” The thought came, I shrugged it off : “Humpf, okay, … if you say so.” And then, I just dismissed it.

By the fifth time I heard it, I could no longer dismiss it.

I’m sitting there, once again, in debate with the Lord. He’s saying: “Put your hand up and say it!” I’m saying: “Well, maybe someone else will?” He’s saying: “No, they won’t, Bill. It’s your job to say it – say it for Me!”
“Ahh, no. Not again!” I didn’t even dare to complete the thought about the cup. (the previous time God asked me to put my neck on the line for Him). I knew, without a doubt … it was mine.

So, okay, He wants me to say it. And then I realize that I’m wearing my collar at the meeting.
I’m not just sitting there as “Still Bill, Still an Addict.” I’m also sitting there as Father Bill.
“But I’m wearing my collar” I plead. “Yes, I know.” came the reply. (It was like my Uncle Buddy speaking.)
“How about I say it at some other time … when I’m not Father Bill?”
“And when would that be?” (God using Buddy-speak, yet again)
Freeze-frame, stop-action. No sound and again. The air has stopped moving. Let’s just let that one sink in, way down to the core. What a question! And how am I supposed to answer it?
“When I’m not Father Bill? Indeed, when would that be, Bill?” I’m saying to myself.

I’m tossing things over in my head: “Nope, the night you signed the paperwork, took your vows, and made that commitment, you became Father Bill and you know full-well that you don’t want to be anything but Father Bill. And it has nothing to do with the collar. And as you looked in the mirror on the morning of the first day you put it on, you suspected that you were being to asked to wear it as your daily uniform. And by the next day, it was totally confirmed. And you’ve been comfortable with that decision ever since. No Billy-boy, I doubt if you’ll ever “not be” Father Bill again. So, exactly what’s your problem?”

I sigh. I now know the problem. I’m being asked to preach at the meeting. There’s no way to say what needs to be said (what God is asking me to say) without coming across as a preacher. There’s no way to paint this in broad strokes and no way to detach the Father Bill part of me from it. Everyone who hears it will know instantly that this is not “Still Bill, Still an Addict” speaking but Father Bill, preacher and man of the cloth.

I laugh to myself. Pastor Tom (of my church in North Brunswick) after hearing the reaction to my big spoken sermon in January e-mailed me saying: “Congratulations, Preacher-man!” The only difference is a change of venue.

I ask the Lord, despite knowing the answer. “You do realize that this is gonna ruffle some feathers?”
“Quite a few, I should think.” (Yes, again, in that Buddy-God speak)

It’s like a light bulb is turned on. There was no further debate. How could I possibly argue with God speaking with Uncle Buddy’s style. An interesting little combo, those two up there make.
That’s exactly why they want me to say it, to say it now, and to say it while I’m wearing my collar. So the room can hear it from an addict that was transformed into a priest – to ruffle a few feathers.
“Okay, if that’s what you guys want.”

So, my hand goes up. And not surprisingly, I’m the next one called on. (talk about a Divine set-up!)
I opened up with the soft sell: speaking of the restoration versus acquisition of values. And as a segue, threw in how I had just written a sermon on it.

My recovery buddy, Emery, who is sitting next to me, shoots me a look and a big grin. He’s caught the change in my tone and has picked up on the sermon reference (he knows me very well). As I’m wrapping up the 1st point, I look over at him from the corner of my eye. He’s kind of bobbing up and down in his chair all but giddy and pounding his fists on the table. I look him dead in the eye, we both almost burst out laughing. In not-quite a whisper, he says: “Let it rip!”

So, I take a deep breath and continue.
“I’ve heard a lot of people share today that they don’t know what God’s will for them is. From my personal experience, the only time I didn’t know God’s will was: a) when I didn’t bother to ask Him or b) when I didn’t bother to listen for His answer.
Perhaps we don’t ask because we already know what the answer will be and we just don’t want to hear it. We think that we’ll get away with it by claiming ignorance rather than admitting that we are being willfully defiant.
The problem is that we are dealing with God here … not some other stupid junkie on the streets. Kids, you may bullshit each other, you can even believe your own bullshit but you can’t bullshit God. He knows when we know.
And when, on the occasion that we honestly don’t know and ask; He will answer. God is not shy and He doesn’t play games. If you ask Him, He will tell you – sometimes directly and unmistakably, and at other times, subtly but clearly. He makes sure that we know with countless signs, signals and warnings, but we put the blinders on and turn a deaf ear. We’re looking but don’t see, we hear but don’t listen. We know but simply don’t care.
Maybe we’re too busy asking for what we want instead of asking Him what He wants.
Maybe we forget that what His will is what He wants for us. And it is always for our good – to ultimately bring us back home … to Him.”
I then throw in a quote.
“The will of God is the gladdest, brightest, most bountiful thing possible to conceive, and yet some of us talk of the will of God as if His will were the most calamitous thing that could befall us.” Oswald Chambers
“And then when we’re between a rock and a hard place, we begrudgingly accept His will thinking we are being denied something instead of rejoicing in it because of what we have gained.”

I look around the room. I not only have their undivided attention but half are staring at me like a deer in the headlights. I pause – all of that was said in like one breath.

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be overly preachy but you see, I do listen to my Higher Power; He makes His will quite clear to me; and He told me to say it. So I did. Thank you for allowing me to share.”

I timidly smile and turn to Emery who is grinning like the Cheshire cat. He says out load “Jesus, you were on fire!” He then leans over and whispers: “You know – you DO kind of glow when you talk about God.

– – – Bill
aka Father Bill – Still Bill, Still an Addict

3 thoughts on “Commit Your Blog Post To God And See What Happens”

byhisgrace211 says:

November 26, 2011 at 4:12 pm

Amen to that! I ask God to breathe His words through my fingertips. 🙂

Israel Ikhinmwin says:

November 27, 2011 at 11:04 am

From the first few lines what you was talking about is something which has happened many times in life. Early on it may be difficult to deviate from something you feel you must do but there is scriptural justification for everything God tells us to do. When you read the first few verse in Jude, the man of God says the exact same thing. He believes he was meant to speak about a specific topic but when it came down to it God brought about something else.

Still Bill says:

December 1, 2011 at 2:26 pm

Once again Barry, you are on target. I remember a few months ago when I was sitting at an NA meeting, listening to folks share on the “Just For Today Meditation.” The sub-topic was on God’s will.

I sat through about a dozen people all echoing the same banter: “I don’t know what God’s Will IS but I do know God’s will isn’t. God’s will isn’t to use drugs!” While I don’t debate that God certainly doesn’t want us to do drugs; I had a problem with everyone claiming that they don’t know what God’s will is.

I’m sitting there saying to myself: “You don’t?” The thought came, I shrugged it off : “Humpf, okay, … if you say so.” And then, I just dismissed it.

By the fifth time I heard it, I could no longer dismiss it.

I’m sitting there, once again, in debate with the Lord. He’s saying: “Put your hand up and say it!” I’m saying: “Well, maybe someone else will?” He’s saying: “No, they won’t, Bill. It’s your job to say it – say it for Me!”
“Ahh, no. Not again!” I didn’t even dare to complete the thought about the cup. (the previous time God asked me to put my neck on the line for Him). I knew, without a doubt … it was mine.

So, okay, He wants me to say it. And then I realize that I’m wearing my collar at the meeting.
I’m not just sitting there as “Still Bill, Still an Addict.” I’m also sitting there as Father Bill.
“But I’m wearing my collar” I plead. “Yes, I know.” came the reply. (It was like my Uncle Buddy speaking.)
“How about I say it at some other time … when I’m not Father Bill?”
“And when would that be?” (God using Buddy-speak, yet again)
Freeze-frame, stop-action. No sound and again. The air has stopped moving. Let’s just let that one sink in, way down to the core. What a question! And how am I supposed to answer it?
“When I’m not Father Bill? Indeed, when would that be, Bill?” I’m saying to myself.

I’m tossing things over in my head: “Nope, the night you signed the paperwork, took your vows, and made that commitment, you became Father Bill and you know full-well that you don’t want to be anything but Father Bill. And it has nothing to do with the collar. And as you looked in the mirror on the morning of the first day you put it on, you suspected that you were being to asked to wear it as your daily uniform. And by the next day, it was totally confirmed. And you’ve been comfortable with that decision ever since. No Billy-boy, I doubt if you’ll ever “not be” Father Bill again. So, exactly what’s your problem?”

I sigh. I now know the problem. I’m being asked to preach at the meeting. There’s no way to say what needs to be said (what God is asking me to say) without coming across as a preacher. There’s no way to paint this in broad strokes and no way to detach the Father Bill part of me from it. Everyone who hears it will know instantly that this is not “Still Bill, Still an Addict” speaking but Father Bill, preacher and man of the cloth.

I laugh to myself. Pastor Tom (of my church in North Brunswick) after hearing the reaction to my big spoken sermon in January e-mailed me saying: “Congratulations, Preacher-man!” The only difference is a change of venue.

I ask the Lord, despite knowing the answer. “You do realize that this is gonna ruffle some feathers?”
“Quite a few, I should think.” (Yes, again, in that Buddy-God speak)

It’s like a light bulb is turned on. There was no further debate. How could I possibly argue with God speaking with Uncle Buddy’s style. An interesting little combo, those two up there make.
That’s exactly why they want me to say it, to say it now, and to say it while I’m wearing my collar. So the room can hear it from an addict that was transformed into a priest – to ruffle a few feathers.
“Okay, if that’s what you guys want.”

So, my hand goes up. And not surprisingly, I’m the next one called on. (talk about a Divine set-up!)
I opened up with the soft sell: speaking of the restoration versus acquisition of values. And as a segue, threw in how I had just written a sermon on it.

My recovery buddy, Emery, who is sitting next to me, shoots me a look and a big grin. He’s caught the change in my tone and has picked up on the sermon reference (he knows me very well). As I’m wrapping up the 1st point, I look over at him from the corner of my eye. He’s kind of bobbing up and down in his chair all but giddy and pounding his fists on the table. I look him dead in the eye, we both almost burst out laughing. In not-quite a whisper, he says: “Let it rip!”

So, I take a deep breath and continue.
“I’ve heard a lot of people share today that they don’t know what God’s will for them is. From my personal experience, the only time I didn’t know God’s will was: a) when I didn’t bother to ask Him or b) when I didn’t bother to listen for His answer.
Perhaps we don’t ask because we already know what the answer will be and we just don’t want to hear it. We think that we’ll get away with it by claiming ignorance rather than admitting that we are being willfully defiant.
The problem is that we are dealing with God here … not some other stupid junkie on the streets. Kids, you may bullshit each other, you can even believe your own bullshit but you can’t bullshit God. He knows when we know.
And when, on the occasion that we honestly don’t know and ask; He will answer. God is not shy and He doesn’t play games. If you ask Him, He will tell you – sometimes directly and unmistakably, and at other times, subtly but clearly. He makes sure that we know with countless signs, signals and warnings, but we put the blinders on and turn a deaf ear. We’re looking but don’t see, we hear but don’t listen. We know but simply don’t care.
Maybe we’re too busy asking for what we want instead of asking Him what He wants.
Maybe we forget that what His will is what He wants for us. And it is always for our good – to ultimately bring us back home … to Him.”
I then throw in a quote.
“The will of God is the gladdest, brightest, most bountiful thing possible to conceive, and yet some of us talk of the will of God as if His will were the most calamitous thing that could befall us.” Oswald Chambers
“And then when we’re between a rock and a hard place, we begrudgingly accept His will thinking we are being denied something instead of rejoicing in it because of what we have gained.”

I look around the room. I not only have their undivided attention but half are staring at me like a deer in the headlights. I pause – all of that was said in like one breath.

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be overly preachy but you see, I do listen to my Higher Power; He makes His will quite clear to me; and He told me to say it. So I did. Thank you for allowing me to share.”

I timidly smile and turn to Emery who is grinning like the Cheshire cat. He says out load “Jesus, you were on fire!” He then leans over and whispers: “You know – you DO kind of glow when you talk about God.

– – – Bill
aka Father Bill – Still Bill, Still an Addict