My Way or God’s Way

Thursday night, at my Everleigh Lakeline community, a most talented and delightful singer, Rickey Davis, gave us a “Frank Sinatra” concert that was second to none! He is known as a Frank Sinatra Tribute Artist, and he took us back to those classic times.

Someone came up to me afterwards and said, “You sang right along with him. I watched you. You knew the words to every one of his songs!” Oh, yes, I did. It was a special night of taking us back to the “oldies but goodies”!

Rickey’s last Sinatra song was “I Did It My Way”. It packed a punch for me, because here I am writing a blog about the idea of our need to do things our way. The song was about a man fondly looking back on a life lived on his own terms. But, really, is that the way we want to live?

Okay, I’ll admit that this new relationship that I am enjoying tremendously, has certainly shifted my “doing it my way” mentality. As a widow for over 13 years now, I’ve lived life my way, under my terms, quite well. Suddenly, MY WAY is subjected to compromise, giving in, and being pleasing and yielding to someone else’s way!

I am convinced that God knows what’s best for us even though it can really upset our “doing-it-my-way” apple cart! I really don’t want to be that “my way or the highway” kind of gal. I don’t want to be known as the one who is a “know it all”.

I know it is a part of being human to want to have our way. We all have a touch of the need to be right. We all have areas where we believe that we know better than others.

Even, as adults, “mine” is a part of our DNA. My plans. My ideas. My way. Not anything against Frank, but that wasn’t a love song about a girl, a boy or even a city — it was about me, me, me.

There is a phrase used today: “If it feels good do it”. There is even a magazine called SELF. Romans 12:10 calls us to “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another.” And, in Philippians 2:3 “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.”

I know the consequences and the blessings that can come from how I conduct myself as a Child of God. I’ve learned that my mind, mouth, mood, and attitude are all intricately connected. When they run amuck, it’s because “It’s all about me!” Mine. My feelings. My way. And when I go there, my thoughts turn into words that I speak, and the two of them together turn into bad moods and attitudes.

It isn’t about ME, about MINE. It is about HE. May God help us to humble our hearts AND our minds to become more like Him. Who wants to be a know-it-all, when there’s only one KNOW-IT-ALL? He is Father God.

Instead of singing Frank’s “I DID IT MY WAY”, why not be singing…. “I did it God’s way!” And when we do it God’s way…..in humility and love…..it WILL BE His way….and the BEST WAY!

“…be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the HUMBLE.” 1 Peter 5:5