Stop for just a moment and think about the big moments in your life. The day you got married, your children were born, you received your diploma, or you reached a life-changing goal. Some, like these, where mountain top experiences, But for most of us, others fill us with shame to even remember, don’t they? Think about how God has used both extremes to bring you to where you are on your spiritual journey and in your life as a whole.
Have you ever considered that each experience in your life is making up the whole of who you are? If your story is like mine, some of the pieces didn’t seem to come together at all. The situations or life events seemed to almost be as though there should be in someone else’s life because they didn’t fit nicely in ours. Do you know what I mean? What is amazing about this crazy mix of experiences is that God specifically joins each one, whether we’re acting in his will or our own, together to make us who and what we are today.
You are exactly where you are today through a combination of joy and sorrow, moments of boldness and moments of fear, times when you were certain, and times when you had no idea what you were doing. If you are like me, there’s a mix of pain interspersed with sheer joy some days, isn’t there? And sometimes these conflicting emotions seem to come in waves and may be separated by as little as a few minutes or hours. Truly, there are days when I feel so confident that I am on track and know exactly what I am called to do and then only moments later I can be so confused and unsure. Doubtful and hesitant.
I think it is helpful to look at these conflicting thoughts and emotions through the understanding that God looks at the pieces of our lives as a part of a whole. One of completeness knowing what the puzzle will look like when it’s complete instead of trying to figure out the whole picture based on a few random pieces or situations.
If we stop looking at our lives like little vignettes or commercials that are totally separate and start viewing then as a part of a large mural, we can see that God really has been faithful even if a few separate clips don’t necessarily seem to relay that.
So what if we took this knowing that God is using the moments in our lives, both the good and the bad, to help us fulfill our purpose. What if every single experience was somehow supposed to be used for good? Wouldn’t that change everything? Wouldn’t you now look at those really rough days with a sense of curiosity and wonder instead of judgment and regret? What if the day you consider to be the biggest life-changer or the worst day ever, was designed to help someone else get through a very similar situation at a later time?
For example, you’ve heard me talk about the fact that I found myself pregnant and alone at the age of 23. The timing couldn’t have been worse since the father and I had recently ended a ten-year relationship. And there was no bringing this already rocky relationship back to life for the sake of a baby.
That experience could have ruined my life. It could change my plans to go to school to get my degree. Truly, at that point it would have been easier had I decided to throw in the towel on my dream for a college degree and, instead, live on federal assistance to help me survive. But that isn’t what I wanted for myself or for my son. So I got on temporary assistance, finished my college education in an alternate but quicker route, and found a good job. Even though I had walked away from Jesus during my wild years, he was patiently waiting for me to return and he answered my prayers for a really good job and a man to share our life within two months of graduating.
Looking back I remember people asking me all the time how did I go to school, get a degree, and then work full time with a baby to take care of all alone. My answer was, “You know, I didn’t really have time to think about how hard it was. I just did what I had to do.” And I’d do it again if given the choice because I realize that I learned more about who I am and what I stand for in those few years than I have in all the intervening years. Well until now anyway.
My point is, that despite my seemingly wasted years of partying and living outside of God’s will, God is now calling me to find a way to use those experiences to inspire others to surrender to his will and answer his call. No matter what their back story is and no matter how far they may have strayed. In fact, I’ve seen people who have never experienced Jesus in their lives until they were well into their adult years, accept him, and change their lives to serve him completely. Some while staying where they were and simply changing their view of the world and others making drastic changes in their careers and lifestyles, but all on the path to a life full of meaning and purpose.
So where is your path leading you? Has your path taken a turn you would never have expected and you can’t remember how you got to where you are or how to find your way back? Are you dealing with sin in your life or the life of someone you love and you simply don’t have the strength to change? Are you feeling that your commitments at church or in your community are overwhelming and you’ve lost the joy in serving? Or maybe you are being persecuted for what you believe and are feeling oppressed? Or are you simply searching for the relationship with God that others are talking about, but really just don’t get it?
In Matthew 11:28, Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.”
I love how in a devotion I read recently the author tells the story of a man driving down a country road who picks up a woman walking alongside the road who was carrying a heavy load. “She expressed her gratitude and climbed into the back of the truck. A moment later, the man noticed a strange thing: the woman was still holding onto her heavy load despite sitting in the vehicle! Astonished, he pleaded, ‘Please, Madam, put down your load and take your rest. My truck can carry you and your stuff. Just relax.’”
It goes on to say, “What do we do with the load of fear, worry, and anxiety we often carry as we go through life’s many challenges? Instead of relaxing in the Lord, I sometimes behave like that woman.”
As do I. Instead of continuing to carry those burdens, we can turn them over to Jesus and he will do the heavy lifting for us. We can take a break from trying so darned hard to make things happen and trust in him.
No, I don’t believe that Jesus is saying that we can simply sit back and do nothing, but rather that he will provide peace through our challenges that we cannot get from this world. All the quick, easy answers you can find online, in a book, or in a pill are meaningless. Instead, having a relationship with God changes our meaningless tasks into fulfilling work that has true purpose.
When you find that thing that you are meant to do with your life, everything changes. Work is no longer tiresome and boring, but rather is fun and meaningful. If you dread Monday mornings because you have to return to work, you may be in the wrong career or at the very least looking at your purpose there all wrong. Life is too short to spend even one season of it dreading the work you are doing.
As I’ve mentioned before, we all have a calling or a purpose. A reason we were created and the thing we are meant to be doing. In short that calling is to serve and honor God. The beautiful thing about it is that we can do that wherever we are. It’s also pretty amazing because our calling can evolve and change over time. We never really know where it’s going. We just give Jesus the heaving burden of worrying about it and take the next step.
Sometimes we are asked to stay in one place year after year, and other times we are drawn to make a change after a very short period of time. Each position we fill, each person we meet, and even each mistake we make builds upon one another to make us into who we are meant to be. Truly, it isn’t always pretty, and sometimes it is downright painful, but if we are willing to step into some uncomfortable places, each situation can prepare us for our next step.
Two years ago this month, I walked away from an amazing job with the goal of becoming a health coach. I’d completed my coaching certification and was ready to change the way the people in my life looked at their health. Six months later I was asked to fill a vacancy on our city commission. I had no idea how that would fit into my life as a health coach, but I was so humbled and truly honored to be asked, I accepted the appointment.
Six months after that I made another sizable investment to go for my Mastery Level certifications. The clarity about myself and my practice I’ve gained through that coaching experience is beyond amazing. I am certain I would never have had the courage to start this podcast, to openly share my faith, and to build my program around helping Christian leaders and influencers have a positive impact on the lives of the people they serve if I hadn’t had the coaching I’ve had.
You are called to your very own unique path that may look a little like mine or nothing at all like mine. It doesn’t really matter because we all have our own story and our own experiences to bring to our purpose in life.
Sometimes it can be hard to accept that God is asking you to do something, whether it be public service, public speaking, leaving a job to begin your own business, going back to school to get that degree you’ve always wanted, or simply providing support to someone in your community. We get so wrapped up on the money and the fear of what others will think. Don’t go there. God will provide. He will be there with you every step of the way. He wants you to succeed. And he wants you to be happy and fulfilled. But he won’t do it for you. He wants you to take the first step. He wants you to move off of square one.
You must have faith. You must trust God. It’s even possible it will take a level of courage you may never have tapped into before, but the returns for stepping out in courageous faith are so amazing that you will never regret it. I get it; you aren’t sure. Neither was I. You probably believe you don’t have all the right tools. Neither did I. But there is no such thing as failure. You learn from every mistake, every step that doesn’t produce the way you hoped and you keep going. If you are in the Word and are praying to God about living in his will, you can not go wrong.
So what is God whispering in your ear? Whether you are a young single mother, a busy professional, or a recent retiree, I urge you to find a way to answer his call. To fulfill our purpose using the knowledge and skills we’ve gathered through life is truly the way to show your love of Christ. Not showing up for an hour of church on Sunday morning.
You may think I’m not talking to you because you don’t believe you are qualified to share your story with the people in your life. But that is exactly what Satan wants you to believe. You see, the length of your life doesn’t matter. The amount of education you have doesn’t matter. Nor does the amount of money in your bank account or the number of friends on your Facebook account. None of it matters.
God has had a plan for from before you were born and you are exactly where you are for a reason. He wants you to suck it up and do what he is calling you to do. Pray about it and get into scripture to make sure it is God calling you, but when you do get that answer, don’t over analyze it or over the plan. Instead, ask him what your next step is and go do it. I know it is hard, and that is why I am fulfilling my calling….to help you have the courage to take that step. To hold that vision for you along the way, and to make sure you keep moving toward the beautiful life you were created for.
If this message is reminding you that it is time to make a change in your life, I encourage you to follow God’s gentle calling. Changes rarely happen overnight, so I encourage you to start today, As I mentioned earlier, just take the next step. If I can help you to let go of whatever it is that is holding you back from living your best life, I would love to have a conversation about that with you. You can find me on Facebook or on my website at vonajohnson.com. Give me a call, send me a message. It is a new year….isn’t it also a beautiful time to begin a new you?
Thank you for stopping by. I am so honored to have you spend this time with me. I pray that you have a blessed week and that you heard something in this message that has revived your soul.