I had a conversation with someone today who is making some big decisions. They have prayed and sought God for direction and then started out in a particular direction with excitement.

            The problem is they keep running into brick walls, they keep toiling to bring things to pass but continue to be disappointed.

            I began to think about this and what was happening and looking over some decisions I have made in my past. I realized that every single time I had waited on God to show me the way, the exact time and the exact way concerning something, when I made that particular move it was nothing but blessings.

            I also had to acknowledge when I made decisions that I thought were right but didn't wait on Gods timing or way, often they turned out to be nothing but labor and toil.

            Let me give you a couple examples. Several years ago I was working on a house I was renting, I had to fix the roof every time it rained. This particular day I was working on something on the back porch. Suddenly God said to me 'don't do anything else to this house, we are moving.'

            Excited I picked up some real estate magazines and looked at the homes that were for sale. I realized that I couldn't afford the ones I wanted, so I laid the magazine down and said 'God, you are going to have to do this one, I can't.' Three months later I moved into a home that was perfect; one that God picked out himself and one that he paid for himself.

            On another occasion I had been thinking about trading my truck for a nice car. I was just thinking and praying about it. One morning I woke up and God said 'take your truck to Cleveland to...and there will be a car there for you.' I did as I was told and as I pulled in they had just brought in an Acura. God said 'that's your car.' I drove it and bought it. I never had one issue with that car, it was a great car. It was a blessing the entire time I had it and when I sold it, it had held its value well.

            Recently I wanted to update my bedroom. I wanted to give it a softer look. I had used the bedding set I had for years and wanted something new and fresh. I began to look...and look...and look. I knew what I had in mind but I couldn't find it. Finally I stopped looking. I went to lunch one day and ran across the bedding I was looking for by 'accident.' Then of course it needed some accessories, again I looked and looked. Finally I quit. Then one morning I woke up and God said 'go to Hixson to ... and ... you will find what you are looking for. I went to Hixson and came back with everything I was looking for.

            I know most people think it is silly to ask God about every little thing but I disagree. I think he is concerned about everything I am concerned about...if it matters to me it matters to him. And I have learned when I wait on him there is no toil or labor.

            The Bible says God opens doors and God leads and guides us. This is a truth. It is also a truth that you can open the door yourself and you can go your own way. I have found when you do that it is nothing but labor and toil. I have also learned that whatever way you gain a thing is the way the thing must be maintained. In other words if you labor and labor to get something, it will take labor to keep it. If you toil and toil to make something happen, you will have to toil to keep that thing. If you don't wait on God to buy a car or a house or even a set of bedding, if you have to rake and scrape to get it, you will probably have to rake and scrape to keep it. If you have to toil and labor to get it, you will have to toil and labor to keep it.

            We don't have to wait on God. We don't even have to ask his opinion, but if we don't the thing we are after may not be the blessing we hope it will be. You can push the door open yourself and make things happen, but you may find out that you wish you hadn't gone that way, you may discover that you should have waited on God.

            If you are in a situation right now where you are toiling and toiling to make things happen it is probably not God. I have found where God leads, He gives the grace to follow. It may not be easy but it won't be labor, it won't be toil. If it is toil and labor STOP and ask God to lead and guide you. STOP and ask God if you are going the right way and in the right timing. STOP and ask God if you need to take care of anything or make any adjustments...just STOP until you hear His voice and then follow his lead, if you don't you may very well regret it later on.

            The things we gain through God will be maintained by God. The things we gain by our own flesh must be maintained in the flesh - never forget that.

            Take His yoke upon you and allow Him to lead and guide you...His yoke is easy and His burden is light. If it is not, then you need to STOP and ask questions.