By Marco Jericho
We all have dreams since early childhood. Some of them fizzle out over time. Either we get embarrassed by them or come to dream of something better. Fast forward to today. You want to accomplish something in your life, but you’re not sure if you’re in God’s will or not. So many times we get so caught up in scratching our heads wondering what God’s will is, that we lose focus of who we are in Christ to begin with. Whether you’re a new believer or a seasoned vet like Kobe (he will always be a champ in my eyes), we all face roadblocks in our lives, which embark us on a guessing trek. Most of the “figuring it out” part is rooted not in honoring God but the fear of making mistakes.
Stop Freaking Out
Did any of the disciples freak out trying to decide which boat to book, which country to visit next, which church to preach at or what to eat? No! Their trust in God was so secure that they would make decisions based on a game of straws! (Acts 1:26) The word says where your heart is, there is your treasure. If growing and cultivating your faith is your priority, you will see things pan out. Go ahead and choose one. If God’s hand is not in it, it will simply not happen. The rule of thumb? If your heart is not at peace with it, don’t go that way.
Never Rush It
The world thrives on the right place/right time mantra. The believer thrives on being at the right place and time because the Lord is directing his steps. Don’t mix world mindsets into your faith; it will just cause you to rush and force things to happen. When things are rushed from the beginning, they may start off right, but fall apart later.
There is no better example that comes to mind than the scene in Spiderman (Tobey Macguire shout-out) when Peter is still in the process of figuring things out and rushing to be a hero to the city. It ends up costing him. No wise decisions from the Bible were taken hastily or impulsively – there’s a reason for that.
It May Not Be The Right Time
Paul wanted to preach to the church in Rome. Simply put, due to weather conditions, he was not able to go. He did not stress. Many times, we spend our energy chasing and hunting down things as if God’s will relied on us. Learn to not rush or force things to happen. You may have gotten a prophetic word or someone may have told you what you would be great at but either way, God will unfold things for you, not the other way around. David got a prophetic word that he would be king, yet he became king almost 14 years later! I’ve seen many people receive a word and rush to make it happen on their timing rather than wait on the Lord which eventually leads to frustrations, hurt and disappointments.
Take Counsel
In the movie Toy Story, Buzz Lightyear was convinced he was a space ranger despite how others cautiously advised him. He wasn’t a space ranger and learned the hard way. Proverbs 15:22 tells us that in the multitude of counsels, I find wisdom. Don’t be afraid to ask people for guidance. Often, it’s a question of having too much pride so we don’t bother asking for advice. Your pride may be blocking you from your much-needed breakthrough. Seek advice from people you see God’s hand working on, not just anyone.
Don’t Let Regrets Hold You
You may find yourself frustrated or mad right now that you took the wrong decision. You need to stop blaming yourself and move forward! Jesus came so you can have abundant life, not a life spent blaming yourself or dwelling on regretful decisions. Learn to focus on your future, because that’s what Jesus is looking at. God always calls you by the identity that you are in Him! Not by the mistakes you made! Your mistakes may delay a work or purpose but God’s word will still come to pass in your life. You don’t fall out of God’s ultimate grand plan for you just because you made one wrong decision. Get back up, lay your mistake at His feet and don’t carry it into the next step. Paul had the same struggles when writing to the church in Rome. He admits he made some bad decisions along the way (Romans 7:19) but he knew God’s grace was more than overwhelming and that’s why he wrote: He works all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).
God’s will is not subjected to your mistakes. Have you surrendered your life to His grace?