So you think God might be stirring your heart for something new...now what?

A New Thing

Author and speaker Jen Hatmaker has coined the phrase, “It’s a thing.” She usually throws it out there after introducing people to a new idea or way of doing something that doesn’t appear to exist or have any relevance to, well, anything. But she makes it cute and fun and she makes a whole lot of things, "a thing."

I wonder if that’s sometimes what we do when God begins to stir our hearts for something new but He hasn’t yet revealed fully what that “New” is. By nature, we tend to jump ahead of ourselves at the first hint of excitement over an idea. How many times have you felt compelled to join the gym without pausing long enough to consider some logistics. Such as, what days of the week do I have time to go? Can I afford this even if I don’t go regularly? How long can I sustain a regular workout routine? Instead, most of us get the limited time offer ad in the mail that says, “$.99 signup fee & free 30 day trial! Hurry fast!”, and we’re all over it like white on rice. We march in that gym and insist we sign up right then and get our first workout in before dinner that night.

This can be true of how we respond when we sense God stirring our hearts for a new thing. We jump on a hasty train and take the infant vision we have and make it into a thing. Not really taking our lead from the God who holds the whole vision in His hands and has plans for how it comes to life so that he alone receives glory.

For the next couple minutes, let’s pause and consider some things. First, how common do you think it is for God to throw an entire vision our way and ask us to put it together the next day? Yes, He is preparing us years before we have the slightest hint of it and while God can do whatever He wants, it seems to me that most of the time He plants an idea in us and allows it grow over time, carefully watering it and watching the roots grow deep while He orchestrates all the details we can’t see. Then, when it’s time to move, we’re ready, the team around us that we didn’t even know existed is ready and God begins to pull it together. This could takes days, weeks, or even decades. There are some powerful Christian leaders doing big things for the Kingdom of God and you know how most of it started out?...a stirring, a vision, a spark. What did they do with it? Hit their knees and seek God. Jennie Allen, the founder of IF: Gathering in Austin, Tx, stated that her biggest fear after the conference was that we would all go do a bunch of stuff. I think she was right on. Sometimes we do need to just put a foot forward because we’ve been living in fear or doubt but before anything else happens, we must surrender it to God and pray, pray, pray.

The other thing that is crucial we grasp, is that we may not think God can do much through us, but HE IS GOD. He will use you. We are all called to spread the gospel, to love His people, and extend His hand of mercy and grace to those around us. If you feel a stirring in your heart, first, hit your knees in prayer and second, believe that the God who has given you the Holy Spirit has mighty plans to use your life for His glory. You may not be expecting God to call you to bring thousands of college students to an arena like He has with Louie and Shelley Giglio (Passion Conference)…but He may. The stirring you have may not be leading a women’s Bible study at your church…but it could be. We cannot project our own insecurities, fears, ideas, vision onto what God is placing on our hearts. Our job is to yield to His plans and say, “yes”, to whatever HE is laying before us.

This morning I posted a picture on my Facebook page showing my Bible open to Jeremiah chapter 1. I captioned my post this way,

“Sometimes I feel a lot like Jeremiah. God calls me to something and I respond with "But..."
Friends, I pray we will be a generation that responds with an exuberant "YES God!"-before we even know what he's calling us to.”

The more I grow in understanding who God is, the more excited and honored I feel to be a part of what He’s doing here on the earth, in this generation. He is moving among us and reaching the hearts of people that desperately need truth. He doesn’t need our help to do that but He wants it. It’s important to remember that the timeless truths that we see in the Bible are the same and will remain the same, always. God never changes (Hebrews 13:8). BUT, with each changing generation, He equips us a little different so that we can reach people in a fresh way with the old message. If ever you’ve thought, as I have, “That message has been given already” or “Everyone knows that Bible verse”,  remember this-they haven't heard it from you, from your perspective and God has uniquely worked in your life and gifted you in a way that they have not yet experienced. Share your story, share the truth in scripture then watch God work.
 

I truly believe we are hungry to have our lives count for more than just ordinary. Our Creator desires that for us too. In Ecclesiastes 3 we read about there being a "Time for Everything." It's not always a time to make brave changes but it is always the time to bravely ask how God wants to work through you. Are you open to what that stirring might mean? Are we going to be ready to say, “yes!”, to God and then hit our knees in prayer, humbling ourselves before Him as we authentically ask Him to lead us.

Just imagine how different our lives might look if we choose that sort of surrender. I've seen it I my own life...when I live this way, taking His lead, I can always anticipate an exciting ride.


Blessings,
Chels