What’s NeXT?

The last five years has been a ride as I’ve gone through various challenges as I know many of you have also experienced. Not necessarily the same experiences but trials nonetheless. First, we have to acknowledge that the shifts that have been taking place have been interesting, heart breaking, in many cases outright traumatizing all the while exciting in the best and worst ways that only bring out the best and worst in us. Life is like that for those who are truly living by faith, after all, how can you claim you are living by faith if you aren’t taking any risks or allowing yourself to get a little uncomfortable? The simple answer is you can’t and you aren’t. If your life has been “Steady Eddie” for the last 5 years you are stuck and likely blind to what’s ahead and what’s really going on. Whether you’d like to admit it or not, things aren’t going to be steady going forward and being in daily relationship with God is very important. It’s the only way to get your daily needs met and get the intel for the instructions through these shifting waters. 

 At some point, all that claim to walk by faith will get thrown out of their perfectly curated life and shown a different path to follow that will not usually make them more liked, more “worldly” successful (although that isn’t out of the question as the “blessing of the Lord makes one rich and adds no sorrow”-Proverbs 10:22 when the timing is right.) or necessarily safer in the ways that most people would advise. It’s just not how God works. There are no “basic” stories in the Bible of people who grew up, went to school, got a degree, got married and lived happily ever after, no not one (please correct me if I’m wrong). The blessed life is promised to those who obey His commands in Deuteronomy but without the Holy Spirit at work in us, none of us can do truly good on our own. Even with God we find a way to follow our own personal or mislead desires that eventually lead us down the roads to destruction that eventually needs repentance and God’s grace to cover us again and again until we learn His ways are better than our ways.  God seems to takes His people through a process to shed them from self reliance to God reliance and trust. Not saying any of those life paths and steps are wrong when we try and take care of business, it’s more of a heart posture toward God in our pursuits. After all, working on your education can be a battle all on its own at times but every hero of faith has to go through a season of trials and testing  and in some cases with life threatening issues. Let’s not forget that some literally died just to come back to life, again, to show who had the final say and carried all the true power, such as the Shunammite woman’s son that was risen from the dead (2 Kings 4:8-37), Lazarus, and of course Jesus. We seem to constantly need the reminder of who the real God is. Some, have to wait an obscene amount of time for personal promises ( hopes and dreams to be fulfilled in a godly way) for what seems like a simple task and can be done on a weekend out with a fling but those who are truly chosen with purpose ( such as Hanna in 1 Samual) will go through tough times and long waiting periods. The reason is simple, it is to bring focus to God, His ways, and His ultimate power, authority and glory over all. Surrender is the key, surrendering our plans to His plans and trusting His process. Knowing that He will get what He needs out of His children either with their obedience ( that leads to blessing) or their rebellion (that leads to curses). We all get a choice to where we stand in His story line but we get to learn that He is in charge by the consequences of our actions and decisions. Thank God He forgives us when we ask and gives us another chance to do things right( as long as we are alive, tomorrow isn’t promised). Ultimately our actions have consequences so following His lead can bring peace throughout the journey because no matter what happens when He is leading there will always come a happy ending- Eternity in heaven with the Lord is the happy ending I speak of. 

Those who endure hardships, yet keep faith and their hearts focused on God will again prove the goodness of God and His promises have not changed for those that trust in Him. It may seem sad, but for many, without trials and tribulations they would forget the need of a saviour and completely ignore Him and His undying love for us. Far too many people take Him for granted and never even acknowledge Him at all. I personally can not imagine a life without Him, His love, His life giving spirit within me. It’s like a daily dose of joy and peace poured down on my head and in my heart that nothing else can satisfy. 

 What does it take to have your life be that which would be called “chosen”- this is a question that only gets answered as life in an individual unfolds. I doubt Hanna or the “lady at the well” knew they were being added to the list of “chosen” to be in the book of life- God’s story. The truth is more subtle in that all who trust in God are automatically “chosen’ to experience His salvation and in such, is the greatest thing anyone will ever experience in their life. The forgiveness of sins is the greatest gift God ever gave any of us and the promise for a beautiful future of eternity with our family in Christ and Jesus Himself. The rest is just a ride with ups and downs for His name sake.

Do you just sit by and wait for it to just happen to you? Yes and No- all at the same time— We don’t know what will happen next but we do have instructions to learn His word (2 Timothy 2:15) as it is the absolute truth and get to know Him by giving our time to Him but those things are usually automatic for anyone who falls in love with Him. I know when I fall in love I just want to be with my love all the time and there is nothing that brings me more joy. Jesus is my first love and source of true love in which I try and pour from. Obviously the struggle is real and a work in progress but His love is perfect in every way and a deep well we can all drink from.  

I find that God leads you to do what He is calling you to do in what you enjoy doing or what you feel the drive to do ( with purity of heart) or are just enduring to do ( because sometimes we do what is right even when our heart’s perspective hasn’t changed yet, God has great ways of molding our hearts but it takes time! ) It may seem confusing to navigate but when you add faith to what you do, it all eventually makes sense.  I find that we do what we are called to do but the struggle usually comes from wishing we were called to do something different rather than just seeing our purpose in what we are doing. It’s the mental games( spiritual warfare over our thoughts)  that are played while we are walking out our call. Remember, our call as God’s “Chosen”- is to show the glory of God (Psalm 115). We don’t get to see the full picture of our life from His point of view,  because He hides things from us so we don’t ruin it or try and take the credit. We just have to trust that He knows what He’s doing and the story is about Him rather than us.

Although we are small in the grand scheme of things, He is so awesome and loving that He let’s us be part of His plan. Sometimes I can’t even believe He chose me to get to do the cool things I’ve gotten to do and witness. Don’t worry, He balanced it out with some pretty hard seasons and there’s been  plenty of  highs and lows throughout my own personal storyline. I’m holding tight to the line because I have fallen before and I’m not immune to falling again. 

Proverbs 10:22