Having Discernment In Our Goals And Plans

 

How do we discern what we are to move forward in when it comes to our goals and plans, starts with looking at our motives.

 

• Is our intent one that is flowing in that which God is leading us in?
• Is our intent to accomplish that which is before us?
• Is our intent to use our talents, skills, and resources in accord with the vision and desires God has placed on our hearts?
• Is our intent to be an extension of God and serve with a grateful heart in all things? 

There are countless of things we desire to accomplish, goals we would like to achieve, and dreams we would like to see come about—all the while flowing in a life that is completely trusting and hoping in God.

 

"The Lord is my portion," says my soul, therefore I will HOPE in Him.

 

Lamentations 3:24

 

When we apply this verse to our lives daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly—as we take time to look at our motives—to see if in fact they are springing forth from a pure heart, we will find such great hope in God.

We Walk By Faith And Not By Sight

 

"By faith," the writer of Hebrews (See Hebrews 11) says, "we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." He says we understand "that" God did all these things. He doesn't say we understand "how" God did all these things.

 

Thus, we can come to the conclusion that it is by FAITH we understand "that" God is the ultimate plan maker in our lives. Even with our limited human vision (compared to God's omniscience), we almost never know the full plan or "how" it's all going to work out.

 

But if we have walked with God for a short or long period of time, we have discovered that as we put our hope and trust in Him, everything seems to come together in His time and way. No matter how intentional or careful we are with the steps we took in planning, God will at times take us in a whole other direction and that is completely okay.

 

And with that, it is fine to go through the process of planning and preparing for what God is leading us in, but we just have to remember to hold loosely to those things, while keeping our hope and trust in Him no matter what may come our way or transpire.

 

"Not knowing" can be frustrating, and sometimes we start to get worried about how things are going to work out. Yet, we know that God is not running around all nervous and frantic, worrying about how things are going to turn out—His plans are accomplished because He is God.

 

Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (See Hebrews 11:1). This is "how" we are to walk—not with human wisdom or sight, but by trusting in the grace of God and the very life of Jesus working in and through us.

Reflecting On The Job At Hand

 

Working a full-time job has a certain tone that it sets on each and every day, but it is fitting to have such structure to the day and a blessing to be able to work the job before me.

 

It is completely different driving to work in the morning and being there all day, then driving home to use the remaining hours of day before it is time to go to sleep and start the whole process over again.

 

Life seems composed of fewer elements in some ways, and yet there seems to be a freedom there as well. Especially now while I am living in a new town, mostly around people I've only known for a year or more, the sameness of the daily routine is wearying sometimes.

 

However I want to bring a fresh perspective to my day and know that it is not just other day in the daily grind.

 

I want to remember that God's mercies are new every morning, and meditate on what that means.

 

I want to be close to God, so close, brought through the rivers of the spiritual disciplines which I neglect so easily, to the ocean of hope in Him.

 

Then no matter what I am doing that day, it will be full of His love, delight, and amazement.

 

 

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

 

 

 

Stepping Out. Turning Point

 

For the majority of us, the start of the New Year is a time to make major changes, but life is marked by countless "turning points," times in our lives where we cannot stand still but where we also are almost too afraid to move forward. The future looks hopeful, and we know that once we set foot upon a particular course of action there will be no going back to what once was.

 

A commitment to "step out" requires a clear direction from the Word of God. It must be harnessed with the recognition in our life to see the need and desire to move from the way of life that we currently live into what is ahead.

 

What turning point is ahead?

 

Some turning points in life require us to move from one place to another, from one season to the next season. There will be many turning points in our lives—some a lot harder than others—and yet all necessary to bring us to the place where God would have us be.

 

We will all experience turning points in our lives and it is a process that every person must go through whether a Christian or not, even in business turning points take place all the time. The main component being that as Christians, we keep our eyes focused on God and what He is speaking and leading us in.

 

To live in the relevant future there has to be change; this is God's intention and gift of grace to us His creation. When we become a Christian we change from one state to another, we mature in God from glory to glory, we take on the characteristics of the gifts of the spirit and so we understand that the old has gone and the new is here to stay.

 

However the Christian life does not stop there.

 

Again, as we keep our eyes focused on God we will be aware of and open to embracing the turning points in our lives that are apart of this journey called life. And throughout life we will be called to step out and partake in many turning points.

Living By Grace

For it is by grace that you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God...

 

Ephesians 2:8

 

 

What is it about God's Grace?

 

The Webster Dictionary defines grace as "good-will or favor", then adds, "Divine love and protection given to mankind by God".

 

Grace is the unmerited favor of God.

 

Unmerited?

 

Yes!

 

We cannot earn it, learn it, buy it, deserve it, but He still imparts His Grace to us, every single solitary day.

 

The question that is raised is why?

 

Why would God ever give us Grace?

 

Why would God extend His magnificent mercy to us?

 

The answer is simple, that many completely miss it or choose to disregard it.

 

God wants us to glorify Him.

 

All in all, God wants us to magnify Him, love Him, and praise Him. As well as, live for Him, so He can give us abundant life and a peace that truly does pass all understanding. It's hard for humans to understand or even grasp this kind of love, for it is not in our nature.

 

God extends His Grace to us so that we may come to know Him in His fullness and in all His abundance.

To Follow God

 

Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!"

 

Mark 10:28

 

 

Are we willing to sacrifice everything for God's sake?  

 

Are we so committed to God that we would leave anything and everything to follow Him?

 

We know God won't be unreasonable, but is our reasoning so drenched in the ways of the world, that we compromise our willingness?

It is as though our inner heart is being tested by these questions.  

 

God is seeking willing hearts.  

 

However, at times our heart and life gets hardened by failed expectations in people, hopes dashed, dreams shattered.

 

Even so, we must keep our eyes and focus on what God is calling us to and leading us in.

 

Are we willing to give all to follow God?

Vulnerabilities

 

At different points in our lives we will discover how to be vulnerable and not be so afraid of doing so. As we work on the other end of the spectrum in order to balance things out, to guard our heart as God leads us to establish more boundaries so that we don't allow others to have complete access to who we are and are becoming.

 

There are parts of us that should be off limits to all (or most) people and only shared between God and those who are most intimate and dear. This bible verse says it all:

 

 

Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.

 

Matthew 7:6

 

Though it is important to learn to open up and be more vulnerable with others (since God did make us relational beings), it is important that we focus on staying vulnerable with God with all areas of our lives. We know He would never tear us to pieces, but will only make us better as we expose the fragile, broken, and dark parts of ourselves to His light.

 

We are all sinful and imperfect and God is the only One who will allow us to come before Him, just as we are, completely broken and open, in all cases.