What do I need to do to set my house in order?

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2 Kings 20:1 “...Set thine house in order.”

King Hezekiah was one of the few godly kings of the Old Testament. While he certainly wasn’t perfect, he sincerely wanted to do the right thing. His actions were determined by that heart attitude and, because of that, his life was pleasing to the Lord. Then came the day when he became very sick, and the prophet Isaiah came to tell him to “get his house in order” because he was going to die.

Our pastor preached on that very thing Sunday...getting your house in order. While I don’t plan on dying anytime soon, it sure is good advice, isn’t it? January is an excellent time to look at where I am as opposed to where I want to be. So I’ve been asking myself what needs to change, and several things come to mind.

The first thing that comes to mind is my focus. Where I choose to set my focus is going to affect every part of my life. For me, that means reminding myself each morning that God has a plan for my life. (Jer 29:11) If that’s true, it’s probably a good idea for me to seek His will each day.

Because “to will is present with me,” I sometimes want my way more than I want His will. (Rom 7:18) Knowing that, I sometimes have to settle for wanting to want His will. However, if I’ve surrendered my will to God’s will first thing in the morning, I’m less likely to bristle when things don’t go my way. And I need to add here that regardless of whether “my way” seems reasonable or right, I can’t see the whole picture. God can.

I’ve said some of this before, but it’s worth repeating. I’m concerned with my comfort; God cares about my character. I want to be happy; God wants me to be holy. I want to be right; God wants me to be righteous…and those two things aren’t in any way connected.

You and I aren’t good in and of ourselves. If we’re honest, we know our natural tendency is to be selfish and to want things our way. We probably have a plan for how that’s going to happen. But God’s plan may not be the same as ours. It’s true that “all things work together for good,” but that “good” is according to God’s plan, not ours. And His plan is that we be conformed into the image of Christ. (Rom 8:28-29)

I can’t speak for you, but there are plenty of things about Rita that are totally unlike the Lord I say I love. There’s resentment, anger, a sense of entitlement, and enough arrogance to think I’m right in most situations. I’m sometimes harsh or judgmental, easily provoked, and tolerance isn’t high on my list of character assets.

If I’m going to change my focus and “set my house in order,” it’s going to mean allowing God to chip away at some of those things. While I can’t “fix” those things myself, I can allow the things God brings into my life to begin to change me. Humbling? You bet. But if I want God’s will the way I say I do, I can make a choice of setting aside my own will and seeking His. It’s part of “setting my house in order.”

Challenge for Today: What might happen if we, just for today, asked God to shift our focus from our will to His?