“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now and don’t get worked
up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with
whatever hard things come up when the time comes.” Matthew 6:34
What’s next? What are you going to do after the race? Those are the questions haunting everyone’s minds right now. We are more than half way done with the race, and it’s about that time to start preparing for life back at home. What will I do next?! Heck if I know!
When I left in July, I thought for sure I would have this mapped out plan for my life by this point in the race. I figured I would at least have the blueprints of the future. How silly I am. Often we set our expectations for what we think God is going to do in us on the wrong things. We think we know what He will do before He does it. As if we could anticipate the moves of an all-knowing, completely sovereign King.
There is so much stress and pressure on my generation to “figure out the next step”. Get a game plan. What is your five year plan? What will you do after college? Now that you’re married, when will you have a baby? What’s your career plan? Do you have a retirement plan? AH! I’m exhausted and frazzled just writing it! We live in a society where we have to have it all figured out. But God. Isn’t it funny how God always is challenging us to go against the grain? Our world tells us to make plans. God says, just trust me each day and see where I take you. (James 4:13-17, Proverbs 3:5-6) This is both frightening and contradictory of the “norm”. However, when we are holding onto worries, cares and concerns with the future, it makes it difficult to hear His voice.
I have been thinking about this a lot the past few weeks. What am I gonna do after this race? And the truth is I don’t know. I have a million things I want to do. I am passionate about so many things it would take 100 years to accomplish them all. A good friend and I were just talking about how there aren’t enough lifetimes to get it all done. But God. He has it all planned out. He knows where I will be in 6 months. He’s got it all worked out. And the funny thing is, He doesn’t need my help. Nor does He want it. He only wants my surrendered heart and my submitted spirit to His purpose.
He is there…in my future; in your future. He is here in your present too. He is asking us to stop planning, over-analyzing, stressing, and honestly freaking out and just let Him put the pieces together. We don’t have to be in fear of our future. He is already there. Does that make sense to you? HE is in YOUR future. He is not scratching His head asking the angels to come up with a back up plan! He knows all. Sees all. Is in all.
“For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible,
rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in Him
and finds its purpose in Him. He was there before any of it came into
existence and holds it all together right up to this moment.
From beginning to end He’s there!” (Colossians 1:15-19)
He is just asking us to keep our entire focus on Him in the present. He will show up RIGHT on time. He’s never been late and He’s never failed. So relax. Take a deep breathe. You don’t have to know what tomorrow brings or the next six months. You don’t have to have a “next steps” plan. You just have to pick up your feet and ask His Spirit to go with you as you take each stride. Often we neglect this simple act of faith, but with it comes an outstanding bulk of strength within you.
No matter what age you are or stage of life you’re in, God wants you to be led by His Spirit – every day, in every moment. Rejoice in TODAY, knowing and trusting that God is abundantly present in this day! You can count on HIM! He lasts. He will come through; in HIS timing and HIS way.
And remember: “Be strong! Take courage! Don’t be intimidated or afraid. I, your God,
am striding ahead of you! I’m also right there with you. I won’t let you down;
I won’t leave you…it’s not in My nature.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)
