Encouragement For Your Journey
As a planner, I’ve wanted to know God’s entire plan for my life so that I’d be prepared or so that I can plan accordingly. But there’s no faith required for that. It’d be me getting ahead of God instead of being with Him, and I’d never want to be without Him.
Of course, He will never leave nor forsake you and I, that I know for sure. But my desire to get ahead of Him or plan without Him from my point of view basically seems like I’m pushing Him out of the plan altogether. Which would do me no good because the Creator normally knows best—and He does. It’s tempting to want to be done with different seasons of life. Life is a journey, but we weren’t meant to live life alone. Especially not without the One who created it.
God has given us people—THANK GOD. But we also have the precious, most sweet assurance that He’s with us too! And it’s such a beautiful thing not only to know that He’s with us but to know that HE WANTS to be with us!! Why would I ever take that away from Him in my need to arrive when He’s done so much for me so that I’d have a place to go, to begin with?!
Striving to be in the next place won’t get me there any faster. Even if I’m not where I feel I should be, yet if God is with and for me—and He is—can that be enough?! He’s promised to direct my path, so the question isn’t if I’ll make it because He promises that I will. I don’t even have to wonder when. What if the question isn’t when but with Whom? Like Moses, I’m choosing to pray, “God, if Your presence isn’t there then don’t send me.” (Exodus 33:15)
Apart from God, I can do nothing. Of course, I want to be in the next place but not if He isn’t there. In the grand scheme of things, I think I’ve just wanted to prove myself. But to whom and for what? The One who’s called me has already approved of me. He’s already approved of you too. We’ve got nothing to prove to anyone. God isn’t in a hurry; we shouldn’t be either. God absolutely knows what He’s doing. With that in mind, we’re free to stay in step with Him and not get ahead of Him. He’s got us covered.
Maybe the more important thing is sticking with HIM—the One who called me, to begin with; the One who anointed me. The One who strengthens, equips and empowers me. If the hard part is covered and all I have to do is trust and obey, then I’ve got it pretty good. It may not be easy when what we see seems to go against us, but at least we’re not in it alone.
Perhaps it’s all about perspective. From my point of view, I’m ready to get to the next place, and from God’s view, He’s preparing me and the next place, all while spending time with me. What if life’s journey has more to do with relationship—with God and others—than it does the actual destination? What if our current location is preparation for what’s next?
