PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Intense Intersections (Part 3)
So here it is the end of this week’s series and I feel like we barely skimmed the surface on this idea of “Intense Intesections“. There’s just so much to it.
U know?
But I wanted to leave u with one last nugget.
Have u ever thought about Who led u to these “Intense Intersections“?
Like for my 5 year-old who just got off training wheels, whose idea was it to head to the bike trail crossing over traffic laden intersections? His or his father’s? 
See, I have a thought.
I don’t think we totally choose the Journey. I think much of it is orchestrated for us.
Maybe the “Intense Intersections” in our lives serve a purpose. Maybe they provide us with an invitation. An invitation to “not go it alone“. An invitation to a conversation. And an invitation to an adventure as we traverse difficult and imposing terrain…together.
Ponder that awhile and have an Awesome weekend!
Stuck?
I have a good friend who has been stuck for years. He is an excellent father. He has a love for God and he genuinely wants to live well.
So why is he stuck? And how is he stuck?
For the past several years, I have heard him complain about not knowing or not fully understanding what God wants him to do with his life. He has passions and he has pursued them…somewhat. But he still feels like he has not gotten the official “Call of God“…so he keeps waiting to make his next move.
And guess what?
He’s going to stay stuck as long as he keeps waiting.
Now, don’t misunderstand me. God does communicate with us about our life and there are many times where we need to patiently wait for guidance. But that’s not what my friend is doing. He is wanting to get the “for sure..forever more” answer on what to do. And that’s not how pursuing your calling works.
See, God doesn’t typically give you and I an answer to the question, “What’s my Calling?”. Instead He makes us this offer, “Follow me and I’ll show you along the Way”.
Thoughts?
Have u felt stuck lately?
This was a recent post to my Pursue Life subscribers. To find out more, go here
Do you strive when you should be patiently waiting?
There are times in my life when I get impatient. It usually happens when I want something badly. It’s not that I lack TRUST in the process. It’s just that the process is too SLOW and so I begin to STRIVE in order to speed things up.
I once heard it said, ‘when God wants to develop a squash He takes a couple of weeks, but when He wants to develop a large oak tree He takes a hundred years.’
And isn’t that how it is in our lives? Doesn’t He want to develop us into “oaks of righteousness” and “a display of His splendor” (Isaiah 61:3)?
Yes…so let’s be patient. Let’s accept that it takes time.
We don’t need to strive. We don’t need to speed up the process. We don’t need to come down on ourselves. We just need to have faith and patience in order to become the fruit bearing oak in His garden.
Thoughts?
Do you strive when you should be patiently waiting?
Trust without Waiting = Striving
There are many times in my life where I strive. It usually happens when I want something badly and as time goes on I become impatient. It’s not that I lack TRUST in the process. It’s just that the process is too slow. And so I begin to “strive” in order to speed things up.
I once heard it said that when God wants to develop a squash He takes a couple weeks. But when He wants to develop a large oak tree a hundred years.
If you and I desire to become “oaks of righteousness” and “a display of His splendor” (Isaiah 61:3), then we need to learn to wait. We must accept that it takes faith and patience in order to become fruitful.
How about you?
Do you sometimes strive when you should be waiting?
P.S. Hat tip to my friend Jeff for sending me an e-mail that inspired this post.
Distraction vs Opportunity
We live in a time and culture with an unprecedented amount of choices. We can engage in multiple conversations, at multiple times, and on multiple channels. We also have a ton of needs vying for our resources, our time, and our energy.
So the question is…How are you doing?
With so many choices…How are you staying on purpose?
With so many options…How are you deciding what’s an opportunity verses what is simply a distraction?
One thing that’s helped me is knowing the difference between a competence, a concern, and a compelling.
A competence is something you can effectively do or contribute. Like cooking Mac & Cheese, driving a car, or cleaning the garage.
A concern is something you are concerned about like global warming, the economy, or our children’s education.
But a compelling is something much more weighty and personal. It causes you to say, “something has to be done about this”. And it forces you to take action because you are compelled to do something, say something, or offer something.
To stay on purpose, it’s very important to pursue those things that “compel” us. It’s not that we shouldn’t offer in the areas of our competencies or concerns. But the calling of our life will be found in the few things we are truly compelled by.
Thoughts?
How do you keep from being distracted by all the opportunities?
