Know Your Why

But we cannot be strengthened in a vacuum. A couple of hours a week in church may focus attention and even reorder priorities, but it is in the daily life of the workplace where we need to "practice the presence of God."

Pastor and author Steve Furtick delivered a message entitled "God's Will Is Whatever." He based his title on the liberating words in Paul's letter to the Colossians, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Colossians 3:17, emphasis added). Furtick explained that whatever we do can actually become God's will when we do it God's way. In other words, wherever you are right now (assuming that you are walking closely with the Lord and what you are doing is neither immoral nor illegal) is where you are meant to be. Your calling is not in some elusive, otherworldly, unreachable place. Your calling is right here, right now. You are called to get on and live in the light of that calling

To those who have taken a risk in faith and found their hopes come crashing back to earth, to those who dared to dream that God might do a new thing but have been left crushed and disappointed, Jesus, too, says, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" Well done for dreaming, for being willing to see things as they might yet be rather than as they are. Well done for stepping out in faith despite your fear and your hesitancy. Well done for daring to think that hope might not be lost.

God is not a search engine. His replies tend not to be instantaneous. It is easy to expect God to identify our destinies fast-and then to get on and fulfill them just as quickly. We want immediate answers and instant gratification. But sometimes slower answers, a longer wait, a deeper wrestle, and further reflection bring more nourishing outcomes and are closer to the heart of God for whom continuing relationships matter more than anything else.

Do not put the Lord your God to the test" (Luke 4:12) is an important lesson of the Scriptures. But there is nothing wrong asking God to build our confidence. After all, as Jesus said, "how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:11).