Yes, God gave us the capabilities and imaginations to dream big, He even implants in us visions, dreams, passions, desires; after all, He is the God of creativity, He created the universe and uniquely shaped and designed everything in it! But when we grasp onto our own personal dreams in order to build up our own personal kingdoms instead of His own, when we forget who is God and decide to be the gods of our own lives, that's when things inevitably go awry. Perhaps if we spent more time focused on the nature and character of God instead of trying to chart out an exact path for our lives to follow for the next 2, 5, 10, 50 years, we would more humbly and joyfully take our places as privileged stewards who get to be part of bringing God's glory to fruition instead of whiny, petulant children demanding the God of the universe to bend it to our individual plans and purposes. God's glory and kingdom are coming, there's no altering that - but it's our choice to be the willing instruments used in exactly the ways He designed us to be used, or to be unyielding and tossed aside.
And we don't have to be petrified about every little decision we make, after all, God is in control and He will open and shut the correct doors at the correct times. He won't allow a misstep. ALL things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28) He just asks us to step out in obedience and faith, He will be glorified. And though it's good to have a good grasp on your skills, gifts, and talents, and to have general goals and directions on where you believe you are called, it's more important to keep that line of communication open and be receptive to what God asks of you at the current moment. So many of us are in the "but what's next?" stage; what we really ought to be focused on is "how can I be faithful today, exactly where I am, in the places God has planted me? What does it look like to be a good steward of my time, money, talents, and relationships today?" - not next month, next year, or the sometime in the future.
He just wants us to be faithful. Even in the rough patches; sometimes it feels like God is saying "will you be faithful now?" "Ok, how about now?" "Well what if this happens?" "Ok, how about now?" "What if I take this away?" "What if I change your path in this direction?" Like Abraham's almost sacrifice of Isaac, I really think He does it more for our benefit than for His, to teach us trust and endurance, and unwavering faith regardless of circumstances.
It all goes back to Lordship. And each time acknowledging who the Creator is, and allowing Him to blow up our preconceived notions and expectations. Just let go and enjoy, and allow God to creatively surprise and delight you with what He brings next - I assure you, it will be better than anything you can conjure up with your own imagination!
(This seems to be a lesson I have to re-learn every 1-2 months. Let's hope it sticks this time.)
(I really think sunrises and sunsets are the best demonstrations of God's authority - I mean, really, come on, can you do this??)
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