Numerous changes are going on in my life. Posts will appear for the next three days to share them with you.
When change inevitably arrives on our doorstep, our ability to accept it is directly related to our perception of whether the change brings us closer to or farther from reaching our goals.
Life has laid an extraordinary number of life changes on my doorstep in recent years. Each change brought something different:
• fulfillment
• discipline
• relationship
• the delight of sharing something valuable
• victory
• defeat
• suffering
• weakness
• despair
• the excitement of open doors
• the disappointment of closed doors
• the agony of waiting on thresholds
My level of acceptance conincided directly with my perception of its relation to my goals. My goal was to fulfill what I believed to be my purpose, which I based on the personal ministry laid before me by the Lord about ten years ago:
… to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ …
~ Ephesians 4:12
But goals and ministry and purpose are all different things. Furthermore, even if I accurately understand my ministry, I can fail to set a primary goal that coincides with my Father's goal for me.
The Father's goal, always, is to make each of us more like His Son Jesus.
Lesser goals must dovetail into that goal. If they lead in any other direction, or if they become our higher goal, they must either be released or will eventually prove idolatrous—even if they are otherwise good and worthy goals.
And so, when change arrive—change in circumstances beyond our control—it can be examied through the lens which has its sights set on one of our lesser goals, or through a lens sighting in God's goal.
Perception makes all the difference.
Planned for Tomorrow: Change, Part II – Purpose and Place
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or e-mail – buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Lots of huge changes going on in my life right now as well--some very scary ones! The Lord is really pushing me to trust Him in this moment. Thankfully, I am fully aware that His plans are for my good, no matter how it may look now.
ReplyDeleteRalene, in my most difficult moments, I too have thought "His plans are for my good, no matter how it may look now." And though I believed it, I felt no comfort in the knowledge, because suffering became so great as to overwhelm hope. Looking back, I realize that my idea of "good" equalled "comfort" or "lack of conflict" or "lack of pain." God's idea of "good" is "you become more like Me." And the more I become like Jesus, the more I will experience true joy and peace.
DeleteAs God pushes you to trust Him, I pray that you will truly believe God is all good—that He loves you and plans the absolute best for you, far above the very best you can imagine for yourself. I pray that you will not only trust Him, but that you will trust there really is good not just ahead, but in whatever you are experiencing at this very moment.
I love you! ♥
Praying for you, through all the changes sis. I love you.
ReplyDeleteYour prayers are better than gold, Denise. Thank you! I love you too.
DeleteI love what you said about the Fathers goal is to make us like Jesus!! Change is so hard for us sometimes, but God is still good!
ReplyDeleteRenee, when things don't look good, remembering and believing that GOD IS GOOD, and that the good He works for us is for NOW (not just eternity), is the meat of faith.
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