We are about to start month 10 of the World Race, which means we are very nearly finished with this season of our lives that the Lord called us to. It has been an incredible year of growth and development for many of us. In fact, I would say it has transformed the way I view my walk with the Lord and the calling He lays on my life. Those growths, continued growing, and continued dependence are not over, but this season of traveling on the World Race is coming very soon to an end.
With this, I have had many people, both fellow Racers as well as people from back home, ask what is next. I don’t think when I left 10 months ago that I realized how difficult a question this would be to answer. There are many directions I could go. I could apply to any of many discipleship programs, go back to school and continue my masters, get a job in a church or a non-profit, or even go back overseas for more international missions.
I honestly have no idea.
I’ve looked into all these different options and they all look absolutely incredible. I think I could be happy doing any of them, but before I make a decision I want to make sure that whatever I decide falls in line with continuing me down the trajectory of life that the Lord has called me to.
Understanding that I don’t have to know the answer to “What’s next?” has been a hard lesson to swallow. In fact, I fought it a lot, but God pursues past our stubborn, selfish desires and reveals more of Himself despite them.
Over the last month He has continued to work on my heart by revealing different parts of Himself and why I don’t have to worry about my future.
God has a Plan
Very clearly, throughout Scripture we can see that God has a beautiful and good plan for His people. In Jeremiah 29:11 we see a people who have completely hardened their hearts to the Lord; many of them just go through the motions of religion and have no real fear or adoration of the Lord in their hearts. They are in one of the most helpless and terrifying seasons Israel had ever seen, captivity and exile in Babylon, and they had been told through the prophet Jeremiah that this season would last 70 years before a remnant would be allowed to return to Jerusalem. The situation is bleak. Its not exactly what anyone would want to be hearing at that time. Even so, in the midst of the judgement, God gives a promise: “I have a plan.”
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” Jeremiah 29:11-14
God promises that He has a plan for His people that He will restore them, that He will bring them out of captivity, that they can trust that what they as a people are going through is not for nothing.
Much like we see in the book of Romans:
“For we know that all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
The Lord has a good and perfect plan in motion. It isn’t always easy to believe that this is true. In fact, in the middle of a season of suffering or doubt, it is incredibly difficult. However, we have examples in Scripture and the testimonies of believers around us that God never goes back on His promises and that He will use all things for both our good (eternal, not necessarily temporal) and the good of the Kingdom.
Understanding this gives me confidence that God has a plan for my life and whether I know it or not, He will still use me where I am at, what I do, and the circumstances around me for my good and the good of the Kingdom.
God Doesn’t Owe Me an Explanation
God is all-knowing. He knows every fact that has ever happened, will ever happen, or could have happened. He knows the name of every star in the universe, the depth of every ocean, the exact number of atoms that make up our Solar System. He knows every event that has ever taken place, will take place, and how each event affects other events that eventually roll into another event and so on and so forth ad infinitum. (Paraphrase: Matt Chandler, Explicit Gospel)
God does not need me. He didn’t realize one day sitting on His throne that His existence sure would be a lot easier if only Mark Jackson was in it.
No. He created me. He loves me. He allows me to participate in His mission. But He does not need me. As if I could provide God with something He can use to sustain Himself better.
HE CREATED IT.
Its already His.
I can’t even offer my life and think, “That’s right. You’re welcome God. Glad I could do it for ya.”
No, while a beautiful choice and gift, I’m not giving God something He couldn’t take by force if He chose to. He created it.
What right does the clay have to question the Potter?
God knows all, and He doesn’t need me.
I don’t know about you, but this makes me realize just how remarkable a gift it is to be allowed to participate in the expansion of the Kingdom of God. That He would allow me in my brokenness and imperfection to participate in His PERFECT and GOOD plan is mind-boggling!
He is my guide. I need only hold tight to His promises and trust Him to lead me.
When He reveals His plan, I will praise Him.
When He doesn’t, I will trust Him.
