My Assignment

I am thinking back on all the years that I prayed for the Lord to deliver me from my weight problems.  I earnestly prayed almost daily for will power and sometimes for God to just completely take away my struggle.  I don't know what I was expecting on that end, maybe just to wake up skinny one day.  But, needless to say, I prayed and I prayed a lot. 
It didn't occur to me for a long time that I had to do more than pray.  You see, God requires something from us.  He requires us to seek him and to have a relationship with him.  How many prayers did I pray and then walk away expecting God to just "fix it" or "fix me".  That is not how it works.  It wasn't until I started seeking a relationship with God (i.e. getting in His word daily) did I start to understand how the things around me were.
God didn't change my circumstances.  He changed me.  God didn't take away my weight problem.  He changed my heart and gave me the strength to undo my addiction.  My issues are still my issues.  They will always be there.  It is designed that way, so that I may always have to lean on the Lord for my strength.  There will not be a day that goes by that I will not have to seek my Lord.  The days that I fail to spend time with the Lord are the hardest.  These are the days that I am depleted and want to throw my hands up in defeat.
But, look at what happens when we are in a daily relationship with the Lord.  I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.  Psalm 34:4
Also understand this, being in a daily relationship with the Lord, will not stop the bad stuff from happening to you.  The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.  Ah, there it is again.  The Lord is waiting for us.  He is waiting to help us.  We will have troubles of many kinds, but the Lord is waiting in the wings for us to ask for help.  He may not change the circumstances, but he will most definitely change our hearts.
But, it requires a little more from us than just reading a devotion each day.  We have to get into the Bible and seek out our answers.  We will find all that we are looking for if we only seek. 
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.  Psalm 32:8
This is my prayer today.  Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.  Psalm 25:4-5
Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth.  Psalm 26:2-3
It takes some effort on our part.  We must seek him.  We must be taught the ways we should go.  The only way to be taught, is to be a willing student.  Our lessons will come from one place, God's word.