Baby Steps into Mature Content

There is a mission I strongly believe God is calling me to. Without going into details, I will simply call it the Plan, until the time has come for the big reveal.

I read a daily devotional and have been amazed how many times, over the years, it’s been relevant to a problem I was going through or an encouragement I needed. Similarly, I subscribe to a daily devotional email that, although not as often, possesses the same qualities. Since I’ve been made aware of the Plan nearly two weeks ago, I’ve noticed an interesting string of events with these emails. I will simply list their titles in the order I received them. I’ll elaborate when needed.

                                1). Faith is more than believing: take the next step

                                2). What mistakes or regrets do you need to turn over to God?

                                3). Choose faith over fear

                                4). Jesus says, “Seize the moment.”

                                5). God finishes what He starts

                                6). How to realize your full potential

                                7). How to assess your value

                                8). Let God tell you who you are

                                9). God-sized tasks: launch out in faith

                                10). Be undefeatable: lean on the Lord

That’s a pretty good list and it could be a general set of devotionals that anyone could use at any point in their life’s journey. The beautiful thing about the Bible is that it’s not just a book, it is the Living Word of God. I’ve come to learn that that can mean verses I’ve read many times before can have a completely different and relevant meaning throughout my lifetime and for any situation or need. While I don’t think the author of these devotionals gets up in the morning and purposely sets out to send a tidbit of guidance specifically designed for me, I do believe that God can direct the timing of such things.

Yesterday, when I was desperately seeking the opinion of someone I talked to about the Plan, there was silence. Even after assurances of a reply, I received nothing. Oh, how I was frustrated. Then I received the devotional of the day:

                                11). Stand firm on God’s truth, not another’s opinion

Praise God and His timing! To make it more interesting, the Plan calls for me to get some general and specialized education, as well as some Biblical education. I’ve sent inquiries to the secular schools (a week old now) and also to a few different churches the Plan could have me involved with. Silence! with the exception of the Bible college. 

                  But seek His Kingdom [first] and these things will be given to you as well.

--  Luke 12:31 (NIV)

Over the last couple of years, I’ve done a lot of soul searching and ridding myself of the things God leads me to get rid of. It amazes me how buried and lost some of these things are! Our current series at church has been in I Peter and we’ve been called to reconcile with our past. I thought I’ve done that but God has flooded me with things for which I need to make amends. I took the first step in doing that today.

I had to ask my ex-wife to forgive me for not being the spiritual leader she had repeatedly asked me to be while we were married. I didn’t fully understand what that meant -- or didn’t care at the time. I told her that, realizing people make their own decisions, I can see the consequences of my inaction (through our kids) and although I’m no longer responsible for her spiritual well-being, I believe I’m still accountable for the time I was and pray she will continue to pursue God in her life. It was a hard thing to do, for sure, but God was there. He gave me the strength and I’m glad He was! I’m sure it was something she needed to hear in some way or another, but it also felt good for me to expunge it from my record – even though I had previously felt no remorse for, nor given thought to it before.

The statement was made recently in our small group that each of us [there] had at least one person in our life that could walk through the door and we, because of our history with them, would easily and instantly be angry with them. After thinking about that, I asserted that I, in fact, had no one with whom I could be angry in such a way.

Truth of it is, I could be that person to walk through someone else’s door. Many someone else’s. Those, I’m afraid, will be the coming steps in seeking God’s direction in my life.