I feel like this is going to be a very interesting time. Interesting - meaning God seems to have a lot that He wants to say and do and it's going to take every minute of every person's life and their complete attention to see it come to pass. And I can't wait to see it and be a part of it.
I'm realizing more and more how true it is that God's way is the best way - always. It's so weird to me to recognize how little I had truly believed that, even though I would have always said that it was absolutely true…hmm. I'll tell you about it if you want to come and talk to me personally - it's a bit too early to put just out there. But one thing I've learned: as Christians, it is NOT our responsibility to position ourselves before people, but before God. Whether regarding school, career, work, friendships, or whatever, if our main goal is to put on a good face, make a good impression, and in our own power network our way to success - we're essentially being just like the world. Even if, in our deepest heart, the reason we want to be successful is for God's glory, we will miss out on the AWESOME process of growth and friendship with our Creator and Savior that God has planned for us if we insist on doing it our way. Sooner or later, God will put His finger on our hearts and we'll have to make a decision that we thought we had already made - are we really serving God or man? is it our interests that are first priority, or God's?
For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.~Galatians 1:10
But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.~1 Thessalonians 2:4
The most important thing to remember is that if God has called you to something, He is then responsible to make sure that you get there IF you follow His path. You NEVER have to make it happen - you just have to obey. Even if it doesn't make sense. Think of what a terrible thing it would be to get to the place that you know God has called you to - whether that is a career, a place of influence, a family, a church, or whatever - and realize suddenly that because you didn't follow God's plan, you now have a voice but nothing to say. You have influence but aren't absolutely convinced what you're supposed to be influencing people toward or away from. You have money but don't know what you're supposed to do with it. You have connections with all these great people, but you can't stand out because you haven't allowed God to do a deep work of excellence in your heart. To me, that would be a terrifying thing.
But if, contrary to the world's wisdom, we lay aside our own agendas and ideas about how God is going to do what He said He will do, and just let Him be who He is, we will not only arrive (eventually) at the place of authority that He has planned for us, but we will have something to say and the confidence to say it when we get there. We won't have to be afraid of falling, because we've already fallen onto the rock of Jesus Christ, been broken, and are in a place of absolute surrender. Our own interests and opinions won't hold us back. We can be sure of our own motives, because the Holy Spirit has already brought them to the surface and judged them by the light of the Word. Our character will have been tested and proved in the place of obscurity, and although we may still have much to learn, we can stand in the knowledge that His grace is on us in the place of His perfect plan.
Because it's about the Kingdom, it's so much more than getting there. It's about serving God now. You don't just bring Him glory when you finally step into your place of destiny - you bring Him glory when you obey Him and put Him first every minute of every day, in every situation and in every relationship that you have. Vision isn't always knowing exactly where you are going; sometimes it's knowing Who you are serving, and trusting where He will take you.
