Why couldn’t I?
I couldn’t possibly start a new career in my thirties, one in which I had no prior experience. I could never record an album. I could never go and sing in front of people and share my testimony.
Those were just words, but they were excuses stuck in my mind, playing over and over – seducing me into complacency, accepting the status quo, saying NO to God.
Why couldn’t I – just because I carpool?
Why couldn’t I – just because I’m in my thirties?
Why couldn’t I – just because I live in MN?
Why couldn’t I – just because I didn’t grow up going to church?
Why couldn’t I – just because, just because, just because …
God isn’t a God of excuses – He’s not a God that says, “Ok, I’ll come back when you’re ready – I’ll come back when you’ve got it all together and you have free time.” No, He asks you to go even when it’s inconvenient, He asks you to go or do or be when it’s improbable, when it’s scary . . . when the world says it’s impossible.
Whether you go or do or be is up to you … but He’ll ask just the same.
And when you know the answer is yes, even when your life is saying no, that’s when you go.
That’s when you go and say yes to God.
God is most thrilled with us when we are most satisfied in Him – John Piper
I think about that a lot – being satisfied. It’s a contentment issue really, isn’t it – Phillipians 4: 12,13 says “I have learned the secret of being content in any situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” – EVERYthing through Him who gives me strength.
God didn’t come to make a way for just a few people; He didn’t show up so an elite group could preach the gospel. He said “GO and make disciples of ALL NATIONS.” You can be ready to teach and preach, you can have a lot of answers, but you first have to GO … that takes action
As a follower of Christ, we can’t sit stagnate in our faith … we can’t sit idly by while the last, the lost and the least aren’t being reached out to.
I was talking to my 10 year old daughter and we were discussing God’s name – G-O-D. I had said that 2/3 of the word God is GO and we were talking about that. In the next breath, my daughter piped up and said 2/3 is also DO. I was struck by how right she was – isn’t that what God calls us to accomplish in the Great Commission?
If we’re truly following Christ, we need to be moving – we need to GO AND DO.
So this year, I knew my answer was YES and though my life and the world was saying NO, or ARE YOU SURE?, or ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!, I went … And, I’m still going and doing things that I never dreamed of, taking on challenges I never expected. And, I’m not done saying YES yet.
What are you saying YES to?
