I'm great at having a vision for the outcome of things. That would be my gift - I get a picture, I can see it and that picture influences my spirit and mind and basically my life. The problem with visionaries though is since we have a picture of what God's going to do in say, 10 years, we have a hard time accepting other people's opinions because we've seen it! Also, it's easy to grow weary in the waiting, like, "argh, God, that felt so real! When is it going to happen!!!" so we end up not valuing the present or the small things.
Paul says in Hebrews 12:2 everything that Jesus put up with, He did because He had a goal set before Him - the joy of finishing in and with God. That's how we survive. It's how we wake up everyday and go to work because we have our paycheck in mind. It's how we hold our tongue and keep our love on, because we want to have good relationships. It's how we pay bills upon bills every month, because we want to have hot showers, use the internet and charge our cell phones.
It's easy to do a hard thing when you can see the great reward at the end of the tunnel. I remember once being involved in a project at work. It was after hours so of course I was picturing the over time check in the mail. At the end of the assignment though, my boss said, "great, thanks for the help!" as he packed up and left me open-mouthed gaping at his back. I was livid and frustrated and couldn't believe how hard I had worked even when nobody was watching.
The question God put on my heart, is, would I have worked any less or performed below my ability had I known the outcome? Would I still do it; live my life the way I do, if there was no earthly reward at the end of it. If the reality doesn't match my expectations and all I get is a divine pat on the back at the end of my life. Where would my heart be then?
Today's "How To" is a simple one. How do I enjoy life in the in-between, where I'm past the past, hopeful for the future, but in reality, only have a vague idea of what it looks like and all I feel like I'm doing right now is fumbling around trying to get there. How?
1. By making God the joy set before you.
Sad to say but, money lasts but a second, relationships can fade away, life is fleeting, jobs come and go, the economy is a constant ebb and flow. Even with our best intentions, decisions are made by other people everyday that make any joy we aim for in this world shifting sand.
Don't get me wrong, expect great things and chances are you will get them. The whole message of my life is to know and have people know the reality of living heaven on earth, the power of testimonies and the living, active power of God to fulfill our hopes and the dreams He's placed in our hearts.
All truth is held in tension, so as we hope and dream big extravagant dreams, we need to remember that "there's far more than meets the eye, the things we see are here today and gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever."
(2 Corinthians 4:18 MSG)
To be fully intimate with Him is the most extravagant dream of all.
Paul says in Hebrews 12:2 everything that Jesus put up with, He did because He had a goal set before Him - the joy of finishing in and with God. That's how we survive. It's how we wake up everyday and go to work because we have our paycheck in mind. It's how we hold our tongue and keep our love on, because we want to have good relationships. It's how we pay bills upon bills every month, because we want to have hot showers, use the internet and charge our cell phones.
It's easy to do a hard thing when you can see the great reward at the end of the tunnel. I remember once being involved in a project at work. It was after hours so of course I was picturing the over time check in the mail. At the end of the assignment though, my boss said, "great, thanks for the help!" as he packed up and left me open-mouthed gaping at his back. I was livid and frustrated and couldn't believe how hard I had worked even when nobody was watching.
The question God put on my heart, is, would I have worked any less or performed below my ability had I known the outcome? Would I still do it; live my life the way I do, if there was no earthly reward at the end of it. If the reality doesn't match my expectations and all I get is a divine pat on the back at the end of my life. Where would my heart be then?
Today's "How To" is a simple one. How do I enjoy life in the in-between, where I'm past the past, hopeful for the future, but in reality, only have a vague idea of what it looks like and all I feel like I'm doing right now is fumbling around trying to get there. How?
1. By making God the joy set before you.
Sad to say but, money lasts but a second, relationships can fade away, life is fleeting, jobs come and go, the economy is a constant ebb and flow. Even with our best intentions, decisions are made by other people everyday that make any joy we aim for in this world shifting sand.
Don't get me wrong, expect great things and chances are you will get them. The whole message of my life is to know and have people know the reality of living heaven on earth, the power of testimonies and the living, active power of God to fulfill our hopes and the dreams He's placed in our hearts.
All truth is held in tension, so as we hope and dream big extravagant dreams, we need to remember that "there's far more than meets the eye, the things we see are here today and gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever."
(2 Corinthians 4:18 MSG)
To be fully intimate with Him is the most extravagant dream of all.
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