how will I know...
talk to me God
Perhaps you were born for such a time as this. Esther 4:14 NIV
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
For many of us, the two scriptures above are familiar, something we have heard over and over throughout our lives, scriptures meant to build confidence and encourage us. But, if you are like me, I get so frustrated with these words. I feel as though those words were meant for everyone else but me! Where are you God? I beg and plead for you to show me your plans, you know, the ones your word says are for me? I want to know your will for my life. I believe you have plans for me and that I was born for such a time as this, and yet, crickets…
God, am I not praying hard enough? Is there something I need to purge from my life so you can use me? What is it? Please God, talk to me. Show me, make it clear, open the door for your will for me, Lord. Sometimes, the answer to these questions are, yes, there are unhealthy and ungodly things that I need to purge, perhaps thought patterns that need to be corrected, but sometimes, God just wants us to take the next step. Sometimes there’s an open door right in front of us, but because it doesn’t seem “BIG” or glamourous, or unique, we totally miss it.
God can and does work with our poor decisons and failures. We need to embrace that and stop letting FOF (fear of failure) stop us from walking through open doors.
Doors are mentioned 180 times in the Bible! Obviously this is an important topic, but one that I think we can often misunderstand. I know I did. God knows that decision making is part of building our character and developing wisdom and discernment. This is why He doesn’t always make it so clear for us which door to go through. Often times it’s more about the way we make decisions, or what we learn from making the wrong ones that matters most to Him.
God can and does work with our poor decisons and failures. We need to embrace that and stop letting FOF (fear of failure) stop us from walking through open doors. Who you become while you’re walking through a door is just as important as the door you choose to walk through.
Two Sunday’s ago, Bob Cherry, founding pastor of the church we attend, Northeast Christian Church, joined us to share a number of stories from his personal life and from the life of Abraham. He talked about the gift that God provides through “open doors” so we might find our and bless others. (paraphrased from NECC website)
Here are ten key points I took away from his sermon about open doors. (sermon link below)
photo by Adrian Curiel @hencetheboom
1. If you’re not dead, you’re not done. God uses people of ALL ages for His purpose.
2. We have to reject the MYTH that if we make the wrong choice we are stuck with God’s plan B. That’s the human way of thinking. God is God. He can and does work with our failures.
3. Keep our eyes open for open doors.
4. The best way to learn about LARGE open doors, is by walking through the small ones.
5. We need to seriously change the way we think about God’s plans for us individually. Open doors aren’t about blessing us as much as they are about blessing others. OUCH!!
6. God doesn’t always reveal His plans for us because that takes the faith out of following.
7. Open door living is as simple as go and bless others.
8. Open doors start right where we are. Not where we ought to be. God doesn’t require us to be “fully baked” before he can use us.
9. Open doors are about opportunities, NOT guarantees. OUCH again!!
10. God is far more interested in WHO we become than He is with the door(s) He wants us to walk through.
Who we become while walking through a door is just as important as the door we choose to walk through. Don’t waste your life waiting for God to be completely transparent or clear before moving forward, taking risks for faith, or deciding to make a move. Don’t allow FOF to paralyze you and miss the opportunities for growth and possibly finding your purpose and blessing others while stepping up and out in faith.
Bob also shared this well-known graduation poem by Dr. Seuss that was too good not to share here. Enjoy. 😊
Oh, the places you’ll go!
You’ll be on your way up!
You’ll be seeing great sites!
You’ll join the highflyers who sore at high Heights.
Except when you don’t,
because sometimes you won’t.
I’m sorry to say so,
but, sadly, it’s true
that bang-ups and hang-ups
can happen to you.
You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace,
and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place… for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come,
or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go, or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow, or waiting around for a Yes, or a No, or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.
Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night,
or waiting, perhaps, for their uncle Jake, or a pot to boil,
or a better break or a string of pearls,
or a pair of pants, or a wig with curls, or another chance.
Everyone is just waiting.
No! That’s not for you!
Somehow, you escape all that, waiting and staying.
You’ll find the bright places were Boom Bands are playing.
With banner flip-flapping, once more you’ll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
On and on you will hike, and I know you’ll hike far
and face up to your problems whatever they are.
Here is the link to the full sermon: Bob Cherry-Open Doors, Sermon begins around ~32 mins. I have also added some other references to this topic that I have saved from other Christian leaders below.
Resources:
Sermon begins around ~32 mins: Bob Cherry-Open Doors
God’s Plan For Your Life - Nick Vujicic Inspirational & Motivational Video
Rick Warren-only-you-can-share-your-life-message
Rick Warren-hold-on-for-gods-blessing-
Ann Voskamp-essential-secrets-to-how-to-wait-well
Ann Voskamp- The-secret-you-have-to-know-when-it-seems-like-god-doesnt-hear-your-prayers
