Fresh Start part 1
My Bible case says, "God allows U-turns." And I always add, "In fact, He encourages them." So that's what I want to look at for the next few days. Because sometimes it seems like we're stuck. Stuck in a rut--once again, a grave with the ends kicked out--or stuck on a certain path. But I'm telling you... we're not. In face, we've been rather violently UNSTUCK. Brought OUT of the bondage of sin and death and INTO the Promised Land (that flows with milk and honey, righteousness and revelation) of rest. What I'm saying is: Where you're at right now isn't where you're going to be forever. Over and over in the Old Testament of the Bible we see the phrase, "It came to pass." And the understanding here is that it came to pass, not to stay. But we get so lost in our circumstances sometimes that we can't see the bigger picture. We can't see God's grand scheme. And that's why we absolutely NEED verses like Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT), "For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." And verses like Proverbs 16:3 (NLT), "Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed." Because while these verses don't necessarily SHOW us the plan--the blueprint, if you will--they DO give us a reason to TRUST the plan. Here's another one: Ephesians 3:20 (NLT), "Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." See what I'm saying? He knows better than we do what's good for us. And when we commit our actions to Him those plans become our reality. I always use myself as an example of this. I'm a writer. But it wasn't until I started writing Jesus books that I actually accomplished anything. It was already in my heart to do it... and I absolutely believe that is the number one (if not the ONLY) reason we should do something... but it wasn't until I committed it to the Lord that it manifested into something real. And, listen, I'm not a New York Times bestselling author or anything... but I know at least two people who have said my books changed their lives. And I LOVE those two people. So to me, that's a pretty big deal. You can't always change the whole world, but sometimes you can change SOMEONE'S whole world. And here's my point, to bring it all back around to the title of this Rant series, you never have to give up on your dreams. It's never too late to be who you are. Who you REALLY are. That thing inside you that makes your heart leap in your chest. That thing inside you that you've been putting off, or pushing down, because you think you need to be someone else. Do that thing! Be that person. If it's in your heart... let it out! Because the world needs it. We were put here to be loved and to love each other. We were each given unique gifts. Not to stifle, but to share. Not to hide under a basket, but to put on the table and light up the whole room! You have been given a fresh start. You don't have to stay stuck. You don't have to settle. There's something inside you bursting at the seams to come out. Let it out. Let it shine. Let LOVE out. That thing that you love. That love that you are!