My Bible Blog

A Call to Action:

I remember one time when I was changing schedules at work. I was moving into a new building, working with new people, and having a new boss. The night before I transitioned, I was talking to my dad on the phone, and I remember telling him that I planned "just to go with the flow"

I so vividly remember him laughing, "Oh, really? You know, I think that's the first time I've ever heard you say that" And he was right. Ask anyone who knows me, and they will tell you that I am a planner. I like to have every detail, every time, and every step of the way planned out.

Of course, this can be a good thing. It means that I am organized and that I have an idea of where I want to go. However, it also means that I struggle to accept God's plans for my life.

I never liked the idea of not knowing. "God will guide you when it is time" was not a sufficient answer for me. I wanted to know now. I wanted to know exactly what God wanted me to and the time when he would have me do it.

Yet, that completely undermines faith. Faith in our creator. Faith that He has placed us with the people and in the environment that He wants us to be. Faith that He will ultimately lead us to His kingdom, that He has made us in his image. That He has a plan for each and every one of us, uniquely made to fit our personalities and gifts that He has given us.

The biggest struggle for me accepting this has to do with two things.

1: "How will I know when it is time for me to act? What if I miss it?"

2: "What about me? What if my plans do not align with God's? Will I be willing to give my vision of my life up?"

In truth, I do not know how to answer these questions. If you want answers, I recommend that you go to God or to your bible or to prayer. My answers to these questions are not facts; they are simply ideas that are always changing. I have prayed to God, and these are the answers that I feel He has given me right now. Your answers might be different.

In my experience, I worry about "missing the boat" or about not realizing wants God me to do. (As I mentioned in the first question.) Though what I often forget is that "if there is a will there is a way" If God truly is calling me somewhere, He will make sure I get there. He is flexible, and He can work through us in any situation. The only thing we must do is listen. If you feel that little "tingling feeling", that idea in the back of your mind that just won't go away, give into it. Listen to it, pray about it, and decide to take action. Do not worry about missing your chance, but rather about taking the chances you have.

For example, for reasons unknown to me, I feel that I have been called to write cards to two special people in my life. I read about the idea of sending "appreciation letters" to important people in your life in a book I read. At first, I was like, "Um. Thanks, but no thanks. Great idea though" However, the idea would not leave my mind, like the pile of laundry sitting in the corner of my bedroom.

So, I gave in. As awkward as it was, I wrote letters to two people, telling them how much I appreciate them and how great they are. Luckily, I was able to disguise them as Valentine's Day cards. But the point is that I knew I had to put aside my excuses. I knew that making someone else feel loved was more important than my temporary discomfort.

That is exactly why I am writing this. I urge you to follow God's call to action. I know it's hard, and I know that I fail at it myself. But the point is to try. Maybe he calls you to take a day for yourself, to call your mom, to write a poem, to text back a friend, or even to say a short prayer. I am always pressuring myself to do something big, but it does not have to be. I need to keep reminding myself that little things do matter and that nothing is too insignificant. You can make a difference. Do not fear if God has not spoken to you yet. Be patient, my friend. Hold on, let yourself have peace. You will not miss your chance. This life is not a race.

In response to my second question, I don't know the answer. I still wonder what God's plan for my life is going to look like and if I will be strong enough to follow it. The answer is that I hope so.

Despite this, I read a daily devotion on this topic this morning. The author compared God's purpose to our life to an elementary school project. You know, the kind that your kids bring home with all of these wonderful ideas. They know exactly how to build the castle or how to make the volcano explode, yet they still struggle. They need your guidance as a parent to help them execute these big ideas.

The author then suggested that the same applies to our relationship with our Heavenly Father. He does not want to crush our plans, hopes, and dreams. Rather, He wants to help us build the best version of these ideas as possible. He knows your talents and your joys, and He deliberately placed them inside of you. His plan is to embrace them and bring them out. He does not want to harm us, and this gives me so much comfort, knowing that My Father is going to help me achieve my purpose. God knows, I can't do it alone. He knows that I have no idea what I am doing. So, he guides us.

---

Woah, this is long. I guess I have a lot to say on this topic. Well, thanks for reading and feel free to share how God has answered your questions.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) " '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.' "

Edit: Found the verse.
Proverbs 20:24 "A person's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their way?"