What A Difference A Year Makes
What a difference a year makes. At the start of 2019, I had a fair amount of plans and ideas for where I thought the Lord was leading me. In keeping with the regular pattern of my life, none of them actually happened.
2019 has been a year of transition on many different fronts. First, we changed jobs from Director of Academics of a Christian college to the Children’s Ministry Director. I saw a majority of young men from a bible study I had led for the past 3.5 years all graduate and go off to college. We saw the best month for the articles on the Gospel Outpost and the best month for Nobody Special, There have been some changes in the home (which we will talk about in Nobody Special 097). Finally, ending the year, I got to preach for the first time in a main Sunday Service. Also I moved. Now, entering into 2020 looks like it won’t be slowing up anytime soon. With some developments in the job, some opportunities for growth, different projects in the works for the Gospel Outpost and various other things. Also, I’m going to have to move again.
I’ve learned a fair amount this year, had time to reflect on my calling, and where I believe God is calling me. In some ways, the calling has not changed. Even today, I feel my calling is to develop disciples who seek the Lord just not on a Sunday morning but every day of their lives. Furthermore, my resolves to be in full time ministry has not changed either. Throughout this year, there have been a couple of things that have personally challenged me and hopefully will guide me through the next year.
Have A Plan But Be Flexible
No one will justifiably encourage people to not have a plan. It is vital to have a plan and direction for a person to be going. Yet, too often, we view our plans as on the same par with scripture. We rigidly follow the plans we created in hopes that we have attained the goal the first time. This type of thinking can be dangerous for our spiritual growth as we follow God. “The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9, ESV) We should have a plan but be flexible with those plans to allow for the leading of the Holy Spirit to move us where he moves us. As people, we do plan our ways, but the Lord directs our steps.
Sometimes, God has used circumstances to teach, train, and prepare me for where God is directing me. At the time, I fervently felt sure of the direction I was headed only to be disappointed by not getting the results I thought I deserved. In reality, God, in His infinite wisdom, shaped me into the person He needed me to be by using circumstances I could not possibly comprehend or understand. We all have goals and plans (as we should) but God’s wisdom and ability to use all this for His glory should far exceed our ability to plan. Even our planned steps must submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Trust God With Your Present And Future
As the Lord made clear the path He had been leading, at the time it didn’t seem to make sense or be in any sort of preconceived plan I could dream up. Yet, it became abundantly clear that this was the path God had for me. Nothing made any sense from my perspective, but the fact remained that God called me to a place beyond my understanding. To be where God led would involve diving head first and blind folded into the unknown. The Lord’s understanding is far greater than anything we can perceive or understand. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)
God’s presence in our past helps us to understand our present and trust God for what lies ahead. God provided in the past, is currently providing for our every day, and will continue to provide for our future. Trust God does not mean we have all the answers to our questions but that we trust God to move on our behalf even when we don’t understand. The new year will bring adventure and challenges more than anything we could understand. We can walk according to the plan God has for us in faith. But do not be afraid of where God is calling you. Everyone has the opportunity to step out in faith from trying new things to being faithful in the place we have been called. The New Year will be held in the hand of the unchanging God who reigns over all creation for His glory and our good. We can trust that, no matter God calls, He will be with us at every step of the way.
