Stubborn 101

Stubborn 101

"The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the
rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes."
Proverbs 21:1

One of the enduring character traits that most of us have to battle is the tendency to be stubborn. It is that something that rises up in us when change comes knocking at our door, when we are being challenged to do something different than our normal patterns and habits. And it isn't a new problem.

My 1828 Noah Websters American Dictionary of the English Language had a few definitions to help us as we make sure that stubbornness is not something holding us back from trying something new and rewarding, from freedom that the Lord wants us to experience.

Stubborn-unreasonably obstinate
-inflexibly fixed
-not to be moved or persuaded by reason
-unreasonably unyielding in character or quality

I thought about ending the devotion here because this probably doesn't apply to any of us but just in case...... Another dictionary added the word "pigheaded". It made me laugh only because growing up my mom would quite regularly say to my dad "John, you are being so pigheaded". It usually meant my dad was refusing to do something that, to mom, was obviously right but either he didn't enjoy doing or it was different than what he had grown accustomed to.

And then there is Diefenbaker, our 85 lb Siberian Husky, the epitome of stubbornness. When Dief doesn't want to do something, he digs in all four paws and we have yet to discover what will get him to move (other than pizza of course). Unfortunately, that tendency to 'dig in", to be unmoveable, can be so destructive when it is in a person's life. Being stubborn can block the road to our trying new things that will bless our lives, can keep us from stepping out when change is our only hope and can prevent us from taking a risk that would enhance our lives and our families' lives.

Why do people keep doing the same thing over and over hoping the result will somehow be different-so often it is an unwillingness to step out in faith because of fears that inwardly grip our hearts. Proverbs 21:1 talks about being in the place where the Lord can turn us in whatever direction He wishes. I'm praying for a new softness in each of our hearts, a new openness to change, and a new willingness to try new things, knowing that it is often the only pathway to blessing.

God Bless
Pastor Joe
Gateway Church