Living life the "Ikea" way...

So I've never been too big on reading instructions. When putting anything together, I would just go for it. I would open the box, grab the instruction's manual and put it aside and then I would just try to figure out how to assemble. As you would imagine, many times I would end up very frustrated, not being able to accomplish my task and by that time too mentally tired to even think about reading any type of instructions. I would waste time, energy and effort and would accomplish nothing but a headache. This is why I would normally avoid having to put anything together...I just don't like reading instructions! It's such a drag!

Well, this week Ikea taught me a lesson. Helping out at Church for the set change this week, guess what happened...I was asked to put together a lamp that seemed like quite a challenge. Some had already tried to put it together, but it seemed like no one could quite get it right. Obviously, I saw this as a challenge and decided to go for it. Now, since I already knew how things usually end up when I don't read the instructions, this time I took the piece of paper, opened it and read it carefully. What a sense of accomplishment when I saw the lamp all put together...by ME!!! Mind you, I had no headache once I was done... The next day, yesterday, I put together a set of 2 stools and 1 table. Later on I put together another table. All very easy tasks, why? Because I read the instructions. I allowed those who made the products instruct me on how to put them together.

This might mean nothing to you all, but to me it means a lot. It made me think of my life and the many times I've tried to live it my way...not following God's instructions. Sometimes reading them, but not wanting to follow, because it seems as such a drag or sometimes not even reading them at all. I would just think "I got this, I know how" and then I would end up frustrated, tired, disappointed and with a headache...many times, with a heartache.

Ikea taught me that if I let God guide me, if I carefully pay attention to His voice and to His word, I would succeed and would avoid many unnecessary setbacks. Ikea taught me that no one knows the product better than the one who made it, so who in a better position to guide on how to go about putting it together. Ikea taught me that if I stop trying to figure out my life on my own, and start paying close attention to God, my maker, and His steps to follow (whether those steps make sense to me or not) I will live a life of more accomplishments and less frustrations.

I encourage you to today to stop ignoring God's instructions and to start living life the "Ikea" way. I know I will....