As the Dust Settles

Waking up in the morning is my new challenge. It’s not that I don’t wake up…it’s that I must choose an intentional mental path from the moment I do.

Today the dust has settled.  After resigning from a ministry position that I have loved for the past fourteen plus  years, I am picking up the emotional pieces. My life has officially changed, and I admit that I feel a bit lost. All that I know is that God himself is inviting me on a journey of learning what it  really means to trust Him, a sacred journey. But as God is wooing me closer the dust around me is filling my head with confusion and despair. The dust makes everything seem dirty.  I forget that there is beauty under the dust. My enemy wants me to just concentrate on the dust, drawing in ugly air because of it. No doubt the dust is there. What will I do with it now?

When we go through things such as loss, pain, or hardship… we come to a place of grieving whatever was lost in the process of that particular trouble. It is normal to grieve. It is important to allow ourselves to grieve. But, it is just as important to have hope in the middle of that grief and fan the flame of hope as we continue to walk through to the other side.

The words ” sacred journey” kept coming to me the past few weeks. I am calling you to a sacred journey. It sounds so pretty, doesn’t it? But, it wasn’t feeling pretty or pleasant in any way at all. So this morning I looked up the word sacred and this is what I found:

1. Sacred: Dedicated to the worship of a diety.( in my case Jesus Christ)
2. Sacred: Dedicated to or set apart for a single use or purpose. (seeking to know His purpose for me)
3. Sacred: Given over exclusively to a purpose ( given over to His plan)
4. Sacred: Dedicated, consecrated, devoted ( giving over all of me to the God who created me)

Now you may be thinking, weren’t you already all of those things? You are a Christian, a bible teacher and a ministry leader! And to that question I would have to say, “Yes, I have dedicated to those things at different points and times and on different days and seasons. But now God is calling me to a LIFE of living in the sacred presence of surrender and dedication to Him… experiencing his power, and following in his purpose.”

Many days I wasn’t living in the sacred, but rather living in my self. I liked ministry. I loved casting vision and implementing programs. But, surrendering completely to Him above people, fun and things? Not so much. I am just being honest. And, I am challenging you to be honest with yourself. Are you more prone to sacred dedication when life is easy? hard?  or in-between?

For me, I am very happy with easy. I bless Jesus and ask him to put whip cream and a cherry on top of my plans and ideas for Him. 🙂 But, when life is hard am desperate for him. In that place I experience a longing for his help, for him to show up, for him to speak, for him to guide.  But now I want to live desperate for him even in good times.

The sacred journey is one of living in that dependence of “I need you Jesus”…to show up, to fill me up, to use me, to guide me, to empower me…TODAY,  One day at a time, in these sacred  moments of life.

What sacred isn’t:

Sacred is not a high mountain top experience. It is not robes, incense and candles. It is not a quiet demeaner or personality. It is not  demonstrated when in front of people or when doing great things for God. It is not saved for Sundays, but is a life journey we are being invited to every day. In the mundane things, in the exciting things…the good, bad, and ugly…you and I are being called to live “in Christ”.

What sacred is:

Trusting God. Following Hard after Him. Intentionally Living within choices that lead us to our God given purpose. Loving others. Community. Service.

I will admit to you dear friends, that I know how to have the appearance of sacredness, and know how to fit the above into my lifestyle in full time vocational ministry. But, now I am learning that I am not to be concerned with appearances, but rather live the lifestyle of Trust…in my every day shoes, in my every day world, in my every day activities.

As Dr. Suess said, ” Oh the Places You Will Go!”

Will you join me in the sacred journey of learning to trust the God who made us?

Here are some first steps:( Psalm 37)

• Trust in the Lord and do good
• Delight yourself in the Lord
• Commit your way to the Lord
• Be still before the Lord

I have no idea where the dust is settling in your life, but wherever you find yourself picking up the pieces of your circumstances, follow King David’s advice above. When you wake up in the morning choose an intentional menal path that involves Biblical Truth.

• I will Trust God because He loves me and has plans for me today
• I will rejoice in him and delight in him, I will sing!
• I will give over this day to God and expect to be sent on assignments I haven’t planned
• I will take time to be still, in my mind, in my heart and in prayer today.

His mercies are new every morning. Goodness and Mercy follow you every day of your life. So, get out your dusting rag and wipe away the things that would keep you from choosing to trust today.