Ever wonder why God has you in a specific place, space, or season?
Perhaps life just doesn’t seem as fulfilling as you hoped it would be.
Do you feel a sense of purposelessness, hopelessness, or maybe even dread as you start out the day?
Maybe you are stuck in your hometown, still living with Grandma, and you aren’t where you thought you would be by now. Well, maybe that’s just me – but regardless, wherever YOU are, that’s where God has divinely placed you.
I started a new devotional last week “Anointed Transformed Redeemed” by Precilla Shirer, Beth Moore, and Kay Arthur. Three of my squad mates from the Race and I are going through it together. I’ve enjoyed the whole study so far, but I think God specifically wanted me to talk about day 5. He got my attention when I studied this lesson by Precilla Shirer on a Saturday, and on that following Sunday the pastor at a church I’ve never gone to before decided to talk about the exact same thing. Coincidence or Divine Placement? You tell me.
Precilla not so gently reminded me on Saturday that it’s not about the program, it’s about the people. I am very task oriented so it was a good reminder to LOVE not only through actions and the task I am performing, but also through my intentionality and my words. It is so easy for me to get caught up in what I am doing FOR someone, that I forget to ask them how they are, look them in the eye, and give them a hug.
The pastor on Sunday also talked on what Precilla shared, but worded it differently. What stuck out to me in His sermon was that we are all divinely placed where we are for a reason.
You may not know why you are in your neighborhood, job, or church – but God does.
Does your neighbor know Christ?
Do you even know their name?
Are you being a light in your workplace?
Are you serving in your church?
Now some of you may remember that I struggled with the idea of coming back to America… After finding my purpose and calling overseas, the idea of coming back to this country was not enthralling. In fact it was daunting, and still is half the time.
Why am I here, when I am called THERE?
Well – there is a time for everything, and God placed me HERE for the time being. So, even though my desires and passions may be in an orphanage halfway across the globe – my intentionality will start with the people around me.
How can I impact the world that is surrounding me right now?
How can I serve where God placed my feet?
If we are always looking ahead, planning, and hoping for something different – we are going to miss a lot of the blessings God wants to give and show us NOW.
With big callings come big responsibilities, and with big passions come even bigger disciplines.
How can I be preparing myself for where the Lord has called me, while still focusing on what He has for me now?
It may seem like a big question, but the answer is actually surprisingly easy – I can LOVE.
What are we called to do as Christians?
Luke 10:27-28 “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him… do this, and you will live.”
If I am focusing my eyes on the Creator, if I am asking, listening, and obeying Him – I will know exactly what to do and when.
All I need to do is dedicate myself to Him, focus on imitating my Lord and King and BECOME love to those around me.
John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to
love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
How are you being love today?
Can people see Christ through you?
Did you yell at the car in front of you while driving to work, or did you let them merge in front of you?
Did you let your sister take a shower first, or did you grumble about how you were going to be late and jump in regardless of her schedule?
Are you being others focused or self focused?
Are you focusing on Him, or your feelings?
Our actions and the words that we choose to speak daily reveal what is in our hearts.
Do you have a heart of impatience or love? Selfishness or selflessness? Anger or peace?
One of the things I dreaded about coming back to America was how selfish the people are here. Collectively our culture is hugely self-focused. We are concerned with our phones, our plans, our feelings, and everything about ourselves.
If you haven’t left the country, you may think this is normal – it’s not. The world as a whole, at least the places I’ve explored – are more giving, more others focused, and more kind than our supposedly “great” America.
I’m not sorry if this offends you, because this is the truth I have been not so gently hit with.
If it does offend you, DO SOMETHING about it. BE the change. Don’t just stop reading this and get mad at me. Choose to put someone else first. Let someone cut you in line, buy the person behind you their coffee, be LOVE.
America doesn’t have to be known as greedy and selfish. We can change that. You know how? By changing yourself. By changing your daily actions, and by choosing to be different.
You have a wonderful opportunity in front of you every single day. You are alive, and blessed with this thing called life. You can choose to take that blessing and bless others with it. Life is but a fleeting moment, take advantage of it.
We also have a divine placement on our lives. We can choose to awknowledge it and look for the reason God has us where we are, or we can ignore it and feel miserable.
I can tell you this with complete certainty: I have felt the most alive when I was completely surrendering myself to the One True King. It didn’t matter if I was sleeping in my hammock, sweating into my eyes, or scratching my millionth bug bite – because I was in communion with my God.
When you are walking in obedience, it isn’t restricting – it is freeing! When you have the assurance that you are exactly where He wants you, now that is comfort and security.
If you are struggling with where you are, just look to Him. I promise you, assurance and peace will follow. I have never left the Lord’s presence anxious -He always fills me with a sense of awe, peace, and an unexplainable feeling of love.
Now wouldn’t it be great if we could help other people feel that way too?
I pray that wherever God has placed you, that He opens your eyes to the reason. I pray that He reveals the person He needs you to love, the words you need to say, and the person you need to be. I pray that we can actively be love, and that we can be the change we wish to see. Most importantly, I pray that you will have an increased intimacy with our King. That you will seek His face, listen to His words, and obey the calling He has placed on your life. Amen.
