It’s finally time for my first World Race blog post! I’ve been thinking about this one for a while, and it’s time that I share it with my community! A few weeks ago, the Lord convicted me of something in my heart that’s been holding me back. Since starting college, I’ve slowly discovered my inner spontaneity, and I think with new independence came a release of obligation to plan things. I’ve enjoyed the freedom and often claimed that part of my personality was “living in the now.” But a few weeks back, the Lord gently rebuked me and said, “Casey, you’re not living in the now. You’re living in the future.” Whoa. It made so much sense! This realization started me thinking about the lies I believed about myself and my personality, and how that affects my relationship with God.
I guess I had really latched onto the hope and the joy of the Lord but looked over some of his other promises. One of my favorite passages is Hebrews 12:1-2, which says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” I love that. I love that the Lord has given us a hope and a future (Jer 29:11) – something to run after. I’m ready to continue getting rid of everything that hinders and entangles and run the race! The hope that the Lord gives is so exciting! I’ve been blown away by the goodness of God recently, and how He has blessed me with an opportunity like The World Race, and I believe that I’m going to continue to be enthralled by the excitement that my relationship with Him brings.
So am I wrong to be so excited about my future with the Lord? Of course not! It’s the most exciting thing I know. But when the Lord convicted me of “living in the future”, I think it was to show me that by focusing so much on the excitement of the future, I’ve lost sight of the life that the Lord has blessed me with now. He didn’t put me at Georgia Tech simply to prepare me for The World Race, so why am I living like that? In John 10:10, Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” I’m done with only looking forward to that fullness, I want to seek the fullness of the Lord where I am now!
This has been so freeing. I trust that the Lord still has so much to show me before I leave. So I want engage fully in my life here – spending time with the Lord, learning from His Word, and loving my friends and family well. Sure, I’m going to continue dreaming about The World Race and even my time afterwards. You may catch me thinking about life and missions in Japan… but that’s a subject for a later blog. Though I may be dreaming, I want that to come from visions that the Lord gives me now, not some vision of the future I’ve fabricated. So that’s why I’m choosing to “live in the now” with my Lord.
Friends, I’d like to ask that you keep me accountable to this! Pray that the Lord would reveal His goodness and purpose in my life here. Also, pray that I would learn to take in the glory of His presence around me now. Pray that the Lord would continue growing me in this when I’m on the race as well. I would hate to spend my time on the race looking forward to what’s coming afterwards and miss what the Lord has for me. Thanks for reading this post my friends! I know it’s a little weird for my first blog to be about a conviction, but I believe a conviction has to come before a life change. And boy, is my life about to change!
