The double meaning of self determination.

     In the Christian world there are times when we use our thinking ability combined with our knowledge to the detriment of what God has determined for us.  We use self determination to make decisions that are based on what we think rather than what God thinks.  That self determination gets us wherever we are comfortable with but not where God wants us.  We are also self determined to make out life what we think it ought to be.  We find Christians who take parts of Scripture and twist, mangle and misinterpret so that they can justify and rationalize their position.  Rarely do we see the act of apologetics come into play where we are defending God's stance for mankind.  We are self determined to self determination and in the process are running our lives instead of God.  Now wouldn't it be nice if that actually worked!  But, in the end, we will find that the lack of surrender to the determination of God for our lives also rejected the blessings for ourselves and those around us.  You know, those we are sent into the world to disciple?!
     I was determined to make my garden, greenhouse and orchard the best I could.  So, I carefully chose seeds for the garden and greenhouse.  I even cheated and bought some plants that were already started and growing well.  I pruned the orchard that hadn't been pruned for several years.  Grossly overgrown I hacked away until they were what they were intended to be.  While others thought I had killed the fruit trees I knew that they would rise and be better than before.  I chose the soil and fertilizer for my greenhouse and garden in order to make the soil richer and the plants better producers.  When I was done, I waited for the crops to arise and the fruit trees to produce.  Many of my seeds didn't come up.  Several of the trees didn't produce.  There was a reason I was to discover.  For the seeds the fertilizer that I used (organic) was too strong and the seeds never stood a chance.  For the trees, I read that when you do a severe pruning that sometimes it takes 2 years or more for the trees to return to produce.  I did end up having a good harvest both of the garden and greenhouse as well as the orchard.
     The one caveat that emerged was out of my hands.  I had self determined the planting and the pruning.  My self determination created the boundaries of how far I thought I could go.  The result was ultimately in the hands of God.  The Scripture tells us that it is he who brings the rain and he who causes the sun to shine for all of his creation.  Without the rain and the sun there would have been no crops at all.  All my effort would have been in vain.  It's the same way with my Christian life.  When I am in the drivers seat the boundaries of how far I can go is determined by me.  When God is in the drivers seat the boundaries are endless and the possibilities are outside my imagination of what God can do through me.  Not unlike the garden God has determined to show me his way through the nature around me.  He prunes me because it's good for me.  He waters me and shines his Son on me because it's good for me.  He fertilizes my soul with his Word and it's because it's good for me.  The end result should be a harvest reaped by the Holy Spirit through the seeds God has given me to plant for him.  It's ultimately your choice.  It's always your choice.