As a little girl I knew that I was destined for greatness.
I dreamed of being a concert pianist, having my oil paintings hung in galleries around the world, finding the cure for a terrible disease and becoming a world famous ballerina.
The specifics were unclear, but something inside of me was certain that my future held great things.
As time went on I realized that musical performances made me sick to my stomach and dancing was not my forte, but still the longing for greatness remained.
Meandering through the UCLA campus from the chemistry to psychology department, from linear algebra to anthropology classes, I kept hoping that I would find that thing, that passion that set me on fire.
But four years later I graduated with a BS in Anthropology (as well as the record for the widest breadth of course selection), still as unsure of what I wanted to do with my life as I was on the day I started.
And that dream for greatness started to feel like a childish fantasy, best to be boxed up in my parent’s garage along with my pink unicorn pony, and instead settle for practicality.
Recently, however, the longing for greatness has been resurfacing.
I feel it throbbing in my chest, yearning deep within my stomach and spilling out into my prayers.
A whisper escapes my lips –Lord, make me great. Use me in extraordinary ways.
At first, I wasn’t sure if such a thing was okay to pray,
But as my understanding of greatness is changing, I’m realizing not only is it okay, but it is a God-instilled longing as well as a commission for every believer.
“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matt 5:16
Jesus is CALLING us to be great.
He is calling us to awake from lives of mediocrity, apathy and indifference and to shine for the world to see,
SO THAT all may glorify our Father in Heaven.
We are called to be great, not for greatness sake, nor for our own gain, but for the glory of our God, because He is great.
He is glorified when we are living lives of impact, significance, and influence.
We weren't created to trudge through life, but to DANCE.
When asked by his disciples how to become great, Jesus did not rebuke them for their aspiration, but rather He redirected their understanding of greatness.
He says, “if any of you wishes to be great, he must be the servant of all.” Matthew 20:26
Greatness by God's definition is humility.
We are called to selflessly serve and to humbly give ourselves just as He did.
Humility, however, does not necessarily correlate with low spotlight, as Jesus himself demonstrated. Rather humility comes from an awareness of the source of our strength, the fuel behind our flame, the author of our story.
“Arise, shine, for your light has come, the glory of the LORD rises upon you.” Isaiah 60:1
HE is our light. HE is our glory. HE is the greatness that is emanating out of us.
And while we each have unique gifts and special strengths, it’s not our own ability or skill that brings us into a place of influence, but by HIS power and HIS strength.
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My heart is burning to impact people for eternity.
I want to be used.
Never again do I want to settle or live anything less than a life of significance.
I find myself jumping up and down, begging God to use me in his Kingdom, hungering for greater things to be done in me and through me.
There is so much MORE for us – I can feel it.
And I know that I’m not the only one. It’s rising all around us. A generation is rising up that is burning for His Name, hungering to live lives that radically display God’s greatness.
And while in regards to the future, I still have no idea what that holds, I'm learning what it looks like day to day.
It starts and ends with abiding in Him, and obeying Him every step along the way.
It’s His story and I’m trusting Him to piece the days together in such a way that powerfully tells of His greatness.
*Photo credit: pinterest.com
