In working through the ‘Greater’ OBS, I’ve had a revelation of sorts that I hope and pray will help me in the future. I love it when God works in me like this, sweetly reminding me what I need to be thinking on, where and how to focus my thoughts and energy so I can get to the place He wants me to be.
In reading Chapter 3, appropriately titled ‘Dragging Behind’, I have come to a realization of sorts. It’s comforting to have biblical stories that I can relate to. Stories that I can put myself in their shoes. Even though we’re talking Old Testament kind of people, they had to have had thoughts and feelings the same as we do. They had insecurities and doubts, worries and work.
In this chapter, our assignment was to read Elisha’s story. (1 Kings 19:19-21, 2 Kings 2:1-9:13, 2 Kings 13:14-21) I did my assignment and learned a few lessons there like you can be in your same old, same old, day in, day out routines and God can just step in and take over…just like that. It’s possible to wake up feeling like all you do is work, work, work, the same thing each and every day but, by the end of your day, you’re ‘GREATER’ finds you…speaks to you…resonates deeply within your soul…all before you lay your head down at night to go to sleep. This happened to Elisha when God chose him to take Elijah’s place as the next great prophet. That morning, he was tending to Ox, by that evening, he was called to his GREATER!! Awesome!
Assignment for today was to pick one of the discussion questions and share it. Here it is:
Question #5…’You don’t have to get all wrapped up in figuring out HOW God’s calling will come to you. Just be ready to respond in faith when it does.’ What lessons have I learned about being ready to respond to God in faith?
Chapter 3 has been the most inspirational so far for me (although, I’m almost through the next chapter and LOVE it as well)! In thinking about this question, how it pertains to me, how it pertains to ‘my issues’ about stepping out to the ‘Greater’ that I feel I’m being led to.
First of all, for a couple of years now I’ve been ‘wrapped up’ in trying to figure out what God wants from me. I’ve spent hours upon hours with God in prayer, to try and discern what it is. I’ve driven myself somewhat crazy with ‘knowing’ there is something, just not knowing anything more than that. I figured the more time I spent with God, the more I would ‘hear’ him. This may be true but, at the same time I was kind of being way over the top about it…to the extent of worrying and obsessing a little too much, it was consuming my day (at times) in an unhealthy way.
‘You don’t have to get all wrapped up in figuring out HOW God’s calling will come to you. Just be ready to respond in faith when it does’.
GREAT advice :)
BE READY TO RESPOND IN FAITH WHEN IT DOES!!
Maybe that’s part of my problem, I wasn’t preparing myself for when it did come and now that I feel that I know what ‘it’ is, I’m not AT ALL ready. The other day I had a daily devotional that shared it like this…King David is known as one of the most gifted leaders the world has ever known although, when you study him, it’s shown that his leadership skills and character were shaped during the years of obscurity on the hillsides tending sheep. Makes us wonder during his ‘empty’ years, did he ever wonder if his life would amount to anything? If he did, he didn’t let it effect his task before him, always taking care of the sheep, doing his job. In those times, maybe that’s when he prayed, reflected and developed his skills to BE READY and when it came his time, guess what?!?
HE WAS READY!! The rest is history…so to speak.
I’m NOT ready and this has been my lesson learned, next time I feel some direction that comes on slowly…I will not obsess or worry, I will spend my time GETTING READY!!
God Bless
Becky
myintentionalfaith 
Thank you much for your commments. I enjoyed reading yours. It’s funny how sometimes a fresh perspective just softens our own self centered impressions.
I too appreciate your honesty. One thing I struggle with is not so much being insecure but not understanding the seemingly endless drain to on me, with out restoration. Don’t get me wrong I fully expereince an intangible change in my heart, vision and attitude when I experience God’s word but it’s the daily onslaught…
I have a son with Aspergers. He is sweet beautiful very smart…and forgetful,not exactly distant but not a natural emotional warmth (not his fault but ther are days…) He has his clothes on inside out backwards a few times a week, never picks up a single belonging without reminding, never flushes the toilet , doesn’t eat at school. Sometimes has fits that he crawls under the desk at school.
My “supportive” parents, spoil him. Send him to school not in correct uniform, late, not checking lunch box and letting his lunch box return to school with molded food (that’s what I get when I ALLOW them to HELP) and do something for myself (i’m sure I won’t forget for another few months)
His DAD left now living or married to the person he wasn’t having an affair with while I was getting my son diagnosed and taken to therapy, got promoted makes double what I make. Even after having to back to work full time ( he always promised he’d make sure I could work part time because of the work/stress). He lives an hour away and visits for a few hours every 6 weeks or so…and my son is so thrilled everytime and “it’s your fault mom, cause you just argue and Dad is nice and fun…starting to wonder who’s blog this is…lol… anyway…guess I’m just “GETTING READY”. Deep down I know that is true and I have learned to see so much differently in the past 4 years, including my own mistakes.
Thanks for the encouragement !! Teh best to you and your journey!!
Thanks for sharing some of your story. I wish you well…sending prayers and positive thoughts your way. Sometimes this life is so very difficult and we have no clue why we’ve been dealt the cards that we were BUT for whatever reason, we must do the best with what we have. On my day of judgement, I want to God to say to me…’You did the best you could do with what you had to work with’. I’m ok (right now…wasn’t a few months ago) with my struggles…seems like I’ve had them since my first memory…but, they’ve molded me into something I’m starting to like. Me, personally,it seems like I have way more in common with people that have had some sufferings in their lives…suffering causes thanksgiving!! One of these days, I will look back and see that each and every mistake, wrong thought, wasted day, wasted moment, will end up being something…something way Greater than I can even imagine…just my thoughts :)
God Bless
Becky
Crazy but things running through my head the las tfew weeks and the last few days more like depressed and sickened … while I know I want to move to colorado(even this has been planted in tha last month) I don’t have a job…I decided to give notice at my job and faith that
God will work it out to take me there…here I go! Pray hard!
Wow…I pray this works out for you! It’s funny you mention Colorado…when we were getting foreclosed on, we wanted soooooo badly to move to Denver. (I LOVE snow…beautiful, big city at the base of some of God’s most beautiful ‘handy-work’) We came so close to going that direction but, we never felt the ‘peace’ about it (it helps to have money too, I guess) We just didn’t feel that was our road at that particular time in our lives. We hope and pray that one day it is. Good luck with all you have going. Keep in touch and God Bless!
Becky