A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the Lord.  (Proverbs 19:3, NIV)

Do you know people who are always complaining?

No matter how much they try, things always seem to go wrong? Do they whine about how unfair life is? If it weren’t for bad luck, they wouldn’t have any luck at all?

It is amazing how often people with this attitude will blame their troubles on God. They say things like, “I don’t know why God is punishing me this way,” or “If God is supposed to be so good and loving, where is he? Why is my life so messed up?”

The people who say these kinds of things are missing an important point: You cannot blame God for the condition of your life if you have never allowed him to be in charge of it.

If your life is a train-wreck, you need to ask yourself, “Who has been running the locomotive for all these years?”

Have you honestly been seeking God’s direction for your life? Have you been reading your Bible to see what God has to say to you? Have you been living in obedience to him?

Have you bothered to drag your tired butt out of bed on Sunday mornings and pay your respects to the Lord at a Bible-believing church?

If your honest answer to these questions is “No,” then you have no one but yourself to blame for whatever condition your life is in. If you insist on running your own life, God is under no obligation to bless it.

If you ignore God, reject his instructions, and then your life sucks, how can you blame him? If you had listened to him in the first place, you wouldn’t be stuck where you are now.

If you are tired of the dead-end, hopeless road you are traveling, why don’t you consider the possibility of making a change in management? Face the facts, buster – you’re not doing such a hot job of doing things your own way.

Let go of your stubborn pride and ask Jesus to take charge of your future. He wants you to offer your life to him – and let’s be real, without the grace of God, you wouldn’t be able to draw your next breath anyway. You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

“My hand has made both earth and skies, and they are mine. Yet I will look with pity on the man who has a humble and a contrite heart, who trembles at my word.” But those who choose their own ways, delighting in their sins, are cursed. God will not accept their offerings.  (Isaiah 66:2-3, LB)

God has reached out to you with the ultimate act of love: the sacrifice of Jesus’ life on a cross, a sacrifice given so that you could have an opportunity to join God’s family. All God really wants you to do is surrender to him.

A simple prayer like this is all you need to begin your new life:

“Dear Jesus, I am asking you into my life right now. I have lived my life without you for long enough. Please forgive me for all the wrong things I’ve done. Help me to live a life that pleases you. I want to put you in charge of my life from now on. Lord, help me to trust you. Help me to follow you. Thank you for dying for me, and thank you for saving me in answer to this prayer today.”

Once you have given your life to God, through faith in Jesus Christ, you will need to find companionship with other believers who can help you grow in faith and understanding. As a baby Christian, freshly born again, you will have a lot to learn.

Please do not mistake this new life in Christ for a “tiptoe through the tulips.” You will still have your share of problems and heartaches, but with Jesus in the driver’s seat where he belongs, you can comfort yourself with the knowledge that God is in control, even through the hard times.

Jesus does not promise us smooth sailing, but he does guarantee that he will ultimately lead us safely to shore. It is a wonderful comfort to rest in God’s promises of provision when life gets tough!

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  (Romans 8:28, ESV)

(This post is excerpted from the book Jesus Is Trying To Get Your Attention.)