I hope you are doing well and that this day is a blessing for you. Today I'm writing a little differently in that I'm not writing about a song or a passage in particular but an idea. An idea that I feel like God has been putting on my heart in a powerful way that some of you might need to hear.
Here it is: STOP PLANNING!!!
Alright- let me expound on it. Let me explain what I mean.
We say that we know God has a plan and that is absolutely biblical. We then great a plan for how to follow the desires He puts in our hearts-- which is not terrible. Here's the part that I need you to understand. As part of your plan you put an end destination. I.e. you decide God is calling you to ministry so your end goal : get a job as a Pastor. NO. You end goal needs to be somewhere that God decides. I think so many times we limit where it is God wants us and we forget that His eyes are not our ways. We forget that God can see all and yet we place limits on what we can do? It's as though we forget that we are no more.
Galations 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
If we believe this. IF and ONLY if we have completely and totally surrendered to Lord and His will and HIS plan-- then why do we think that there is a limit to what we can do if CHRIST LIVES IN YOUR AND ME!
I say this to myself to-- in that I of course have an idea of what I hope the high points of my life end up being. I have end result goals that I hope to reach but ultimately our only goal is bring God glory and if thats the goal than there is not end result to that until we are with Him. We can never cross that off the list of things we need to do and then move on. Because He will continue His work in us until we leave this world then we have to remember that there is a plan to that. There is a hope for that. There is a plan that is not our plan and it doesn't have the limitations that we put on it.
All this to say when you are running after the things God is calling you to --whatever they are-- don't forget WHO is calling you. Don't forget WHO you are when you are in Christ and stop putting limits on His power.
As you ask God to show up stop expecting Him to show up how you want Him to. Stop being the one to set the standard because the standard God sets is perfection and if you live your life like absolute perfect is a possibility through Christ then you won't be satisfied with anything but Him. Your heart and mind were made to satisfied in Christ and thus when you set human limits on what you can be and achieve you are limiting yourself from being satisfied.
STOP TRYING TO CREATE AND INVENT WHO YOU ARE BUT LET THE CREATOR HANDLE THAT! Let Him renew your mind and spirit and push you toward Him. Let Him take you to new places that are higher than any place you ever thought you could go.
I've got this illustration for you. . A new baby can't do anything but lay down. They can't see much and work hard to learn to roll over. They never imagine that one day they could be running marathons because they probably have never seen it. The things you can think of are about as far as rolling over for a new baby. But God has a marathon in mind-- something you have never thought you could be or achieve. So trust Him and let Him put the parameters on your plans. Just walk in faith. 2 Corinthians 5:7"For we walk by faith, not by sight."Stop living for yourself and LIVE FOR HIM.
I'm about to be super open with you here. Super open with you on how we can be so disillusioned to put limits on what He has for us. --- In my own life I had a plan of what I thought God was calling me to. I thought I'd finish my bachelors, marry a man who was completely wrong for me, and procreate. I thought that being in a relationship meant that you were going to work hard all the time and that you wouldn't really ever be happy but you made it work anyway. I didn't know that someone who loves you should encourage you and name you beautiful not only with their words but with their actions. I didn't know that my friends could be there when I needed them. I didn't know men could love God as much as or more than I do. I didn't know there were really men who could read the bible with you or men who would know the word. I honestly thought that it was another "woman" thing that we just had the gift of communication and men didn't. SO WRONG. I didn't know that having expectations WASN'T ridiculous. I didn't let God set my standard but I was settling for what I thought I could have until I completely surrendered to Him and said "Lord if this is what you have for me make it so clear that I can't deny it but if not take it away right now." 5 minutes later (NOT EXAGGERATING AT ALL)-- out of no where-- it was gone. gone forever. A conversation that started like any other conversation in a matter of seconds with no anger or resentment turned into an end to what I thought was best for me instead of what God had planned for me. THAT was the best I could come up with and God had so much more planned. I was trying to roll over and God wanted me to do a triathlon.
What did God come up with? He took all the mediocre people out of my life and replaced them with incredible God fearing men and women that are pulling me toward Christ and now away from Him. He moved me to Orlando and gave me community like I have never seen before. He put me in a masters program. He gave me the best dog ever. He gave me confidence in Him alone. He gave me courage. He took away my negative, unteachable spirit and gave me a joy and a hope that amazes people. He redeemed me. The best part is HE ISN'T DONE YET. He has so much more planned. So much more coming and thus I'm letting Him plan. I'm not put restrictions on the grace He can give me. He has given me a much higher standard for the people I interact with and He has put people in my life to meet that standard and taken everyone away who doesn't.
I pray that God keep showing up for you in big ways and that you keep sharing that with me. I pray you not settle for what you can come up with but let the Lord set your standard. Let Him direct your steps and let Him decide your limits. Don't put parameters on how much He can bless you. Let Him give you a hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11 Says "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." He has declared it that He has the best plan for you --for your best interests so LET HIM. LET HIM plan for you because when our God is for us there is NOTHING against us.
Stop planning and let the one who has the plan tell you what to do.
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