Life's Little Pokes

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is FULLNESS OF JOY; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." -Psalm 16:11


"The more we get what we now call 'ourselves' out of the way and let Him take us over, the more truly ourselves we become." -C.S. Lewis


C.S. Lewis certainly is a wise man! I read this quote today and it hit home. I would say that it perfectly sums up what I am learning right now: How I can let the Lord take over my life and my being, and then finding out more of who I am because of that. I am realizing that the Lord always gives us choices in life. He is bigger than us picking wrong, but he certainly lets us choose, and sometimes the choice to follow Him is a hard one. Sometimes what we want does not match up with what the Holy Spirit dwelling within us is prodding us with. But I don't want to ever live with the regret of not following the Lord's "poking." 


Isn't if funny that we use that term on Facebook and don't even think about the implications of that word? A poke is just a tiny nudge, much like what God lets the Holy Spirit do for us. So often in today's world He doesn't come down speaking in a pillar of fire, but instead gives us little "pokes" to guide us in our decision making. We don't have to follow the nudging, and honestly we may not even feel it if we aren't walking closely with the Lord, striving to see His plan for our lives. 


But recently, I was blessed to feel a little poke from above and by the grace of God, I followed this time. I am such a sinner, so unworthy of the Lord's grace and I mess up so often, but on this particular Friday God gave me the strength to follow his poke. It has put my life on a path that I never expected to be on, a path with some major mountains that I have to climb that are too steep for my insignificant self. In face right now, they seem downright daunting. But you see, my God CREATED those mountains that I see as impossible. And He alone knows the blessings that await as I walk over that rocky terrain, closer to His face and nearer to His heart. So I pray that He literally carries me right now, holding and guiding me, helping me navigate the treacherous slopes in front of me. These steps are going to teach me about the FULLNESS OF JOY, because as I walk towards Him, hopefully I will lose more of who I am and become more enraptured in His presence and grace. As that happens, I will become more whole than I ever was on my own. Those unique personality quirks and strengths that He has entrusted to my soul will be utilized for His glory and not my own, and suddenly I will be more myself than I ever have been simply because He is shining through my life, just like He originally intended before the fall of man. That is the real fullness of joy. My prayer is that I am constantly close enough to his heart to feel his "pokes" that will lead me towards the fullness of joy. The fullness of HIS joy. What a crazy adventure I have before me!