I heard something today that challenged my faith. When we receive Gods vision for our life, often times it feels like a nightmare. It’s overwhelming up front because its enormously bigger than we are. After time, you realize that this thing isn’t about you, it’s about others.
That, my friends, is the agenda of God: others. The problem is that we are wired to make things about ourselves. Gods vision for your life is to touch, invest in , and reach out to others for the glory of Christ. Its called the ministry of reconciliation. The process, of making that vision a reality, involves sanctification – setting you apart for His holiness, His agenda, His glory, and His plan – not yours.
Are you willing to go through that process to get there? It’s not an over night deal. It involves many tears, many struggles, and a lot of patience. Once you determine that, you are well on your way to connecting with Christ’s purpose for your life: people, and what He is trying to do to reconcile the world to Himself.
You and I get to be a part of that.
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 18-19 ESV)
If there’s one thing I HATE to hear from my wife, my sister growing up, or anyone else is this, “I told you so”. But that’s what we hear from ourselves every time we choose NOT to listen to what God.
They rejected my advice and paid no attention when I corrected them. Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way, choking on their own schemes. (Proverbs 1:30-31 NLT)
It happens all the time, you desire: a relationship, non-confrontation, a job, a certain way of doing things, the easy way out… You KNOW in your mind this wont work, but you listen to the quiet lie of the devil, “This is much easier, you deserve it, it will work out fine.” Then, it doesn’t, and you hear from yourself those words we all hate… “I told you so”.We can skip the heartache if we will LISTEN to the Holy Spirit. It may not be the easy thing to do. It may not be the most convenient. It may not be the cheapest. But its the wisest thing to do. God sees down the road, we can’t. Save yourself the frustration. Listen to God and follow, no matter how hard it may “seem” to be.
You KNOW what the right thing to do is. Make the decision. Do it.
Life, or even ministry for that matter, isn’t a sprint. It’s a marathon. It’s better to finish well, than to start well. And its a lot easier to run together than by yourself.
Reference : http://kevinconnell.wordpress.com/2011/03/02/i-told-you-so/
