When I was growing up, I had a tile floor in my bedroom. It was red tile with an off-white square block around the inner border that looked like a big white highway (to a child anyway). I would take all of my Hot Wheels and line them up perfectly next to one another. I was like the worlds smallest valet. To say I had a touch of OCD is probably an understatement. While my friends were smashing their Hot Wheels together, I was lining them up with great care.
I like things in order.
When you visit our home today, you will find all of the TV remote controls in a perfect line, sitting below the TV. My laptop sits perfectly between my PC speakers. The books on my bookshelf are in chronological order as to when I read them. The ones I haven’t read yet are first and so on.
Look, I’m admitting it’s an issue. I’m well aware that I am a touch obsessive about having things in my life in order and that is currently a HUGE problem for me.
For the last several months, I feel like I have been a part of the television show “The Apprentice”. I have done my best to balance God’s timing, Will, and the drama which is playing out in my life. We’ve been active when necessary, patient when we needed and quiet when there was nothing to say. At times it looked like my best laid plans were falling right into that perfect order I so desperately crave. At times, it appears to be completely out of control. I have gone from being at peace to completely frustrated. No matter which lever I switch, I am constantly reminded that I am not in control.
In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the LORD establishes their steps. – Proverbs 16:9
As I type this, I am clinging to this verse. As a guy that likes things in order (my order), it is killing me to not know how some scenarios will soon play out. I can draw up all of the plans, flip all of the switches, move pieces on a board, but at the end of the day, The Lord will establish the steps. I can’t live a life committed to His ways and put things in my order. I must be willing to submit to His order, trust His plan and follow His steps.
Question: How do you handle order in your life?
