WHAT IS HOLDING YOU BACK?
As I finished selling the rest of the things I have spent the last 10 years acquiring, I found myself reminded of what Jesus said to the rich young ruler, telling him to go back home, sell everything, give the money to the poor, and follow him.
In no uncertain terms am I saying that I’m rich, but I’m feeling a great sense of release, a great sense of freedom as I sell everything to chase after His will in my life. I know It’s not just that I’m giving all the proceeds to a shelter here in Savannah, it’s knowing that I am giving up my life to be used by Him.
People keep asking me what I plan on doing when I get back and I can honestly say that it’s in His hands, and that is so freeing to me! I’m walking on a path without knowing where it leads, I just know Who is leading me, and that’s all I need to know! Praise the Lord!
As I sell all this stuff, I see how I had come to identity myself by how others saw me, based on the value of what I owned. Just like the world, I loved my toys, but in this preparation for the Race, I have been shaken and rattled in so many ways that I can’t even begin to explain. Now, as I have just sold the last of the things I’ve collected, and am in complete transition to being a missionary, I see what Jesus was saying to the young ruler. I know there are a lot of things going on in the story, but to really drop everything and follow His leading is exhilarating and freeing.
I’ve ended a job that I thought, when I first got it, that I would retire from. Something that has dawned on me, is that if that man would have gone back and sold everything, he would have been giving up his future livelihood as well, and would have had to depend solely on God’s provision. When you say it, that sounds easy to do, but when the rubber meets the road, it’s down right scary! Still, I walk.
So many things play into the decision of chasing after God. I’m in awe right now, at all the mighty works the Holy Spirit has been and is doing in me, how He has loosed me from the worries of this world, from the desires of worldly possessions and has filled me with peace and joy, knowing that what I am is a follower of Jesus, and knowing that He paid the ultimate price for my salvation. The rest is just fluff. I know there will be a lot of struggles as I press on, but the work that has begun in my life will run its course, and I know my final victory is in Jesus.
I want every one of you who that reads this, to truly look at your own life and see if you would or could do what Jesus asked the young ruler to do. It’s really an enlightening exercise to see what you hold dear to you. Are all the things in this short life preventing you from answering the calling of your Maker? His calling to each of us is to take up our cross and follow Him. Listen to what He is saying to you, it might terrify you to find out what you have that is holding you back from walking in His will. I’m not trying to preach here or say I’m in any way better than anyone else. This is just something I’ve seen as a huge hurdle in my life. I always said that when I got everything in order, I would do what He wanted of me, but I tell you, this is backwards, follow him and everything will line up in your life.
