Saying No to Ursula and Having It All

Did you ever see The Little Mermaid? You know the scene where Ursula the Seawitch convinces Ariel to give up her voice in exchange for (theoretically) getting Eric to fall for her as a human? I was just thinking today about this, and how the Devil does the same to us. He convinces us that we can have whatever it is we are searching for, but that we have to give up something dear to us in exchange. We've all heard the rhetoric: You can't get something for nothing; nothing in life is free; you can't have your cake and eat it, too. Maybe not, but I can eat my cake and be satisfied enough not to want to still have it around once I've taken what I need!

It all goes back to one of the lies Satan told us in the Garden of Eden: if we want to be smart like God and know good from evil, we have to give up our relationship with God. We can't be close to him and still possess good qualities in ourselves. Maybe the devil didn't word it that way, but he simultaneously tells Eve that God is not worth obeying as he tells her about the fruit. He basically says she must reconsider the reason she gave for not eating the fruit: she prioritized her love for God over satisfying curiosity. Satan says we can't have all the good, so let's strip it and just take what gives us the immediate fix.

Funny, because God said Adam and Eve could have everything in the Garden that was good for them. Everything, no holding back. Sure, He said not to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, but that wasn't good for them. When you know God, the source, you don't need the fruit of such a tree.

I am so glad this is a lie and that I don't have to live this way.

TRUTH: We can have it ALL. Having everything is not just for the person who does everything right, who looks a certain way, or even who has the favor of the people in charge. Many people say that getting into certain jobs, colleges, etc. is all about connection. In a way, yes, but not how we think it is.

It's more like this: over every human being and human system is the mighty God over the universe. He is a God of justice and love, and He makes the world go around. Without Jesus, nothing would have been created. When we are connected to our Heavenly Father in relationship, He helps us. The Bible says that in advance of our birth, He created good works for us to do! If He has created you a wonderful actor, He has just the place for you to perform! If you are great with numbers, He has just the right job or outlet where you can exercise your gifting. We aren't connected with Him merely so we can get positions we want, but we connect with Him in love. When that happens, we will realize that the hierarchical structures we used to think made the world turn are actually not the be-all, end-all. You'll see that there is room enough for you, and that even in the midst of adversity, God will open doors you never thought you'd see open to you!

It's like the interview scene in the movie The Pursuit of Happyness. Wyll Smyth's character, Chris, goes into the interview sweaty and dressed in an undershirt and jacket. He gets offered the position because he convinces the skeptics that he's able, thanks to one employee who steps in to help.

In reality, things like that don't happen. That is, they don't happen without divine FAVOR! What if the employee helping Chris were sick that day? What if the boss making the hiring decision had a bad day and was on a war path? These are not things anyone but God can control.

God lines things up in your favor when you live your life for a purpose! That is to say, when you are in a loving relationship with Him, suddenly your ambitions go from making yourself feel good to having your life count purposefully. You do that because you know you are loved by God and others, and that you have a lot of good inside of you that could impact the world! God loves to take this journey with each of us, and He will move Heaven to put you in places where you can pour out all this good! And when I say He moves Heaven to align your circumstances, I mean it literally. When you pray, God is moving angels to align things for the best!

So don't go to Ursula (or those who would use you in exchange for what you want--venture capitalists, boyfriends who flatter with their mouths but don't care about your heart's desires, leaders who use you for what you'll do but complain when you need them to help you) anymore. She will call you a poor, unfortunate soul and take your voice. Or worse, she will take what is dear to you in exchange for something temporary, and she'll tell you that you can't trust God's abundant provision for you. Always ask God for what you need. He will either give you what you ask for, or He will show you a better way. Ultimately, everything on earth will pass away but the love in your heart towards Him and others. So He's gonna prioritize the growth of that love in your heart, because it's precious to Him. In the end, you will be glad He did when you have a heart to love Him and live a life that impacts the world! JOY!