Tag Archives: gods plan

Career, Christianity, Life lessons, Motivational

It’s ok not to always know what your next step is.

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proverbs 16: 9, steps, footprints, plan your ways, god laughs, lord directs your steps, proverbs

Never forget!! You may make plans but The Lord allows you to make those steps. There are many stages of understanding we walk through as a Christian. For me the first was just basic believing in Jesus. Next came trying to be a better person –to make Him proud, like I would my earthly father. Then came studying His word, so that I could know what “making Him proud” even looked like. Next up was giving up parts of my life to His Will. 

Because, as we all come to find out in our faith walk, sometimes the things we want are not the same as the things God wants for us. Sometimes we find out the easy way and sometimes the hard way. But sometimes, all we get is a feeling.

 Christians, we call that the holy spirit in us, that still small voice, that when we listen and allow guides us towards Gods will. Non-believers, you might call that intuition, karma, street-smarts, the universe, or just sheer luck.

But no matter your beliefs, it takes huge faith to step out of your comfort zone and into the unknown. This step from perceived safety;a secure job; a secure relationship; the state you live in; the people you know—whatever you are transitioning from—takes a huge leap of faith in whatever you believe in to carry you to the next phase in your life.

For me that leap of faith is trusting in God’s plan, and not my own. I’m praying to willingly allow Him to lead my path and allow myself to step out of my own way.

As a positive flesh person, defined as one who finds strength within themselves and is typically an “I can” person,  I am most always comfortably three steps ahead of myself with two back up plans and much certainty in my decisions, but in this season I realize how much God has left unknown to me ON PURPOSE so that I can not do what I do best —PLAN.

It’s a place I don’t sit well; feeling like I’m not making effort, hearing others say,  “What are you going to do?” –and my only answer being “I dunno sit back and pray and wait for God to show me.” –is scary and relieving all at the same time.

Why is it so hard to do nothing? Because it goes against everything I was taught. Right?!

I was taught:

  • work hard to get what you want
  • planning is a means to success
  • things don’t turn out as planned so have a backup
  • always be self-sufficient
  • God will take care of you, but you have to use what he gave you as well.
  • you get what you deserve (i think this was picked up on my own accord e.g. disobey/punishment)

Ohhhhh the woes of legalism and balancing the Christian faith….we could debate on these concepts for years, and you absolutely can comment on these. I’m going to leave them alone, as they aren’t my purpose for writing today.

What i do know is that God is showing me that while it is a blessing to be able to be self-sufficient and structured and a do-er, at times these patterns of such internal strength get in the way of HIS PURPOSE for my life. My will for my own path, is so driven and strong that if i don’t stop planning and doing the things I’ve always found comfort in—-there is a good chance I might completely miss HIS PLAN for my life. 

So if you are like me, always planning and doing, two steps ahead, loving certainty and the pride and responsibility it brings. I want you to know what God is showing me, It’s ok, in fact– necessary–sometimes to allow God to be the leader. So stop planning, step out in faith, and say,

God thank you for making me such a leader and capable of living this life you have given me. You made me bold and fearless, in your image, and although it goes against my nature, I know your plans are greater than mine, and I’m going to stop planning my life and allow you to show me what your plans are.  Help me be ok with stepping aside and resting. Help me hear you clearly so that i know your plans when you show them. Help my pride take a back seat as others don’t understand what i’m (not) doing. Help provide for me as I wait for you to show me your will. Help me have faith and patience. And mostly, be changing my heart, if your plan is not something I would readily choose for myself.

Amen

 

godswill, plan , purpose, proverbs, path, steps, direction, unexpected plans,

 

 

Career, Christianity, Life lessons

The importance of not knowing.

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Once again this morning I’m reminded why only seeing a few feet ahead in this journey we call life—is the way God planned it.

As I listened to a sermon from Passion City Church and I hear Louie Giglio speak to, The Word Series, Part 16; Breath on the Page —once again God speaks reasoning and confirmation to me about the importance of stepping out into the unknown.

open door your future

The importance of being uncomfortable where you are sometimes and not knowing what tomorrow will bring.

The bible is oftentimes described as a road map Louie says; a manual for your life. But he also brings to our attention that it is a roadmap to life but not to your life. It’s to be used as a reference in life as a Christian, but it’s not specific for your life. Only when it’s applied and prayed over and you listen to God does the bible become specific to your life.

Just like a car manual that shows how a car works and when services are needed how to find parts and what to fix, but like the bible, our Christian manual, a car manual isn’t specific to your car. Your specific area conditions, your driving, others driving; all those things change the needs of your car and shape the things needing fixing and make your car needs less predictable.

If your manual for your car said, at 10,000 miles you will have an accident and it will cost you 3k out of pocket to fix because the other driver didn’t have insurance —-you would sell that car before that happened right?!

Of course, who wouldn’t. But that’s not what the manual is for, it’s not that specific to your own car —it’s for the type of car you have not your unique situations.

Gods word is similar. It’s meant to give you insight about who you are and how to live life—but it is not a complete roadmap that shows you all the stops and attractions you will stop at.

Psalms 119:105 says,psalms scripture on marinaHis word will — Light your next step. And your next step. And your next. Not your whole life at once. God will be a lamp into your feet and a light into your path. Because, if we saw our whole roadmap we would start driving on our own, and perhaps pick and choose where we want to stop and things we want to avoid. I know I would. “Oh great, painful breakup—No thank you Jesus—I’ll skip that and go this way instead.” And by doing so we lose the opportunity to gain valuable growth and insight learned through that stop in the roadmap that God so carefully knows, that stop that might provide the humility gained in order to be the person we WANT to be, but couldn’t be if we had to chose the difficult path taken to gain the “fruit” we desire.

So if God only lights our next step—-How do I at least see that step?

Listen to God in your life. 

You say, well that’s the problem—He’s not exactly sending angels to speak to me or burning bushes so I get answers.

Guess what?! We are so much luckier than that!! When Christ died he said as noted in John 14:16-18; 26-27 (NIV) And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will bec in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me.26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

So we don’t have to depend on a sign from God through a prophet or a bush every once in a decade if we are lucky—but we have His spirit in us to help us each and every moment of our lives!!! I used to be so jealous the old testimony folks got more tangible and direct answers—-but then I laughed at how silly that is—and how jealous Moses and Jonah and Micah etc would be to be us —to have the living spirit of The Lord within us–walking with us daily—to guide us—if we listen.

“Ok great that sounds good, but again I can’t hear anything,” you say.

Man, trust me I have been there, and if this is you—you are in a great place because it means that you want more—you desire to hear God—and God desires for you to hear Him and is working in you to draw you closer so that you can hear Him!!

So, let’s work on listening to God together!! Are you up for it??

HOW?

  1. Get to know God. Knowing God to the degree that you can hear God means knowing His word. How to know God? Read His word. God cannot speak anything that is not true to His nature, His written word, so if you know Gods nature through reading the bible –you will know what is from God being spoken into your life. Luke 21:33 says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (NIV). God’s truth is consistent. He is not going to tell you one thing in the Bible and then tell you something different in an impression.
  2. Rest in his word. To me—this is the hardest part. I’m a do-er. It feels lazy and unnatural to rest. To do nothing. It goes against everything I know and with the task list in my head it is a quick way to more stress—is that how you feel too?? Psalms 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God,”.
  3. Listen. That’s why it’s so important to take time to actively rest. To hear God we have to know how he speaks, by knowing His word. And to hear Him speak, we have to quiet our minds and listen. Most people just pray, and talk to God but forget prayer is first and foremost a conversation with God—-a conversation by nature is a two-way communication—but so often we speak and then go about our busy day.

Well how do you expect To hear God if you didn’t take time to listen to Him? 

Ahhhhhhhh (did a lightbulb go off? I hope so, because as simple as that concept is, I know it never really struck me till i read it in this book which i highly recommend you read if you struggle with hearing God—this book changed my life!)

Another great read about figuring out your purpose is one of my favorites by Rick Warren,  A Purpose Driven Life–who also has an amazing post on this topic here.

Study His word, take time to pray, and then listen. Rest in silence. And wait for God to speak. Pray your mind is still and doesn’t wander but when it does refocus and direct it back to listening to God.

So I sit in “the wilderness”, and make sure to take time to read my life manual, and sit still in the quiet so that when God speaks, I will hear Him loudly and clearly and not prolong my trip in the desert because I missed my exit.

god is already there