Follow Your Heart

There is always a way to follow your heart toward your divine destiny. Even if it seems to be "on hold" for a season. For example, maybe you are going through a period of discipline where you feel confined to the mundane, seemingly purposeless existence that must always accompany the disciplinary process. You can't see how from where you stand right now that God could possibly be leading you toward your destiny. If this is your situation right now, remember that you have a Father in Heaven who is faithful. His purposes are sure. They always come to pass...all the time, no exceptions.

Hebrews 12: 7-8 tells us this: "So accept your sufferings as if they were a father's punishment. God does these things to you as a father punishing his sons. All sons are punished by their fathers. If you are never punished (and every son must be punished), you are not true children and not really sons.

This is good news for the Christian. You see, we are His sons and we are told by this text that we "must be punished" or disciplined. But does this mean that He has given up on us? Of course not! He has not given up on us therefore, we should not give up on him. Instead we have this confidence that God always disciplines us in love and with a full view toward restoration so that we can once again become what we were meant to be and fulfill our destiny in Christ. If you are under "discipline" right now, walk toward the light every single day, one day at a time. Be faithful in the little things that He provides for you to do. "Don't despise small beginnings." Keep yourself completely humble. Start each day with a tender heart that says, "What's next Father?" then wait until you get an answer and then do what He says. You will reach your destiny because "He who began a good work in you, will be faithful to complete it." Repairing and restoring your "temporarily flawed character" to fulfill your destiny is the responsibility of a loving heavenly Father who wants you to get there more than you do. Do I hear an Amen?

The Island of Recognition Lust

I am leaving the island of Recognition Lust. This is the place where people live who care too much about what others think of them. It's a place where I lived for too many years. It has tugged at me a bit as I left the harbor and then the channel surrounding the island. Now just a shadow of it sits in the sunset as I drift farther and farther away from its’ mesmerizing pull. It looks beautiful in the sunset to my eyes of flesh. The question I now ask is, "Why has it's allurement had such a hold on me for so long?" Perhaps it was the lure of its’ charm, promises and claims. Having dwelt on that island, I now know in my heart that having a residence there wasn't all it was cracked up to be but I had to live there for a while to discover its’ thorny bushes, and swamp of quicksand and venomous snakes.

Here's an interesting question. If caring too much what others think, is unhealthy. What is a healthy response to the encouragement of another? How is one to give and receive encouragement if living on “Recognition Lust Island” has created an unhealthy appetite? The answer must lie in receiving encouragement from others with grace realizing that I am not my own, I am the prize possession of Creator of the universe.

When encouragement is given and received, all glory is given to Christ, my master and Lord for whatever good may come from a life lived in His service. Receive encouragement and give Glory to God.

“Oh Lord, teach me to encourage others as you would. I do want to affirm the gifts of others, especially my precious children for example, but the exercise of encouragement must most often be detached from performance based observations. It need not be earned but should be shared in love and because of love for one another. Grant me the grace to learn how to encourage others in a loving way, and receive encouragement with grace and humility. Amen.”

Do What You Were Meant to Do

It's better to do what He's willing to bless than to ask Him to bless what we're willing to do. In the book "Cure for the Common Life" author Max Lucado, invites us to surrender to our destiny by "using our uniqueness to make a big deal out of God every single day". What a challenge! Lucado spends much of the book reminding us that "God made you and then he broke the mold". In other words, there is no one exactly like me and that's exactly the point. The eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of you. Funny how we spend so much energy doing things we were never meant to do and yet we wonder why statistically over half of the workforce today hates their job.

Doing what you love. Now there's a concept. Wise was the sage who said that if we don't live the life we believe, we're in danger of believing the life we live. What about you? Are you ready to break out? Today's technology makes it more and more possible to do what you were meant to do. Communicate at the speed of light. Color your world with a palette that you alone have been given. It's not too late to start doing what He is willing to bless. Personally, I believe that we are on the very cusp of a breakout. This breakout will come from individuals like you and me who are willing to risk the bitter pill of failure to taste the sweet wine of success. They are discovering that God did create them uniquely for a purpose and not until they fulfill their destiny will they ever find the happiness that they long for.

The Subtlety of Idolatry

It seems like I need a good cleansing every once in a while. Oh, I'm not talking about a shower. I take a shower once a week whether I need it or not. I'm talking about a cleansing from the Holy Spirit. It's helpful for me (and not nearly as "condemning") to know that I'm not alone. Even Abraham, the father of our faith was cleansed by God himself when he was told to take Isaac to the altar of sacrifice. God was testing Abraham and he will test each of us. If he has spoken a personal promise unto us (and I believe he wants to speak a personal promise to all of us. Something that defines our destiny, that answers the questions "What am I here for, Lord"?) there is a very good chance that he will remind us that it is not our job to "make the promise happen". Hagar is waiting outside our tent...all of us but that doesn't mean we pay her a visit.

God wants humble servants. Those that just listen and obey and leave the promise fulfillment to one who is more than capable of bringing our destiny full circle. "Lord...I lay down my right to fulfill or to help you fulfill my destiny. I lay down my right to telling you where or why. The truth is, I don't have any rights but it is indeed my privilege to stand before you with boldness and dignity because Jesus, your Son has restored that to me. Use me as you will. Take me, I'm yours. Speak Lord, your servant is listening"