So some backstory before I dive in (I think it's helpful...well I hope it is...meh you can decide ;) ). One of my roles at my job is to train, motivate and provide tools for our sales team. So I interact with our sales team quite a bit...and at the beginning of the year (for the second year now), I have them put together vision boards as we are goal setting. A friend enthusiastically shared the value of vision boards and I could see it right away - you visualize where you would be if you accomplished the goals you set out. You visualize and spend time thinking through the outcomes and it pushes you to act in those small ways you need to get there...because it is true what is said "for whatever one sows, that will he also reap" (Galatians 6:7).
To start this exercise, I have these worksheets that I provide to the team to get some thoughts on paper that allow them to start to unpack their goals, dreams, aspirations (fun fact: I used one of these sheets last year and, wouldn't you know, this blog was something that would "thrill me to the core" if I accomplished it). And one of the team members came up to me and said: "I am having trouble with your sheet. All I can think of is money. If I had more money, then all my problems would go away."
Instead of spending this post on how this person is misguided in their thinking of how to find happiness, I am going to side step that (for now) and focus on the fact that this person was "stuck". They couldn't see past the need they had to see what was holding them back (habits, preoccupations, attitude) and what accomplishing this would bring them (what would alleviation from these financial burdens allow them to break free from? What would that allow them to do? How would that make them feel?) and so this person was immobilized. They couldn't find the motivation to move...they couldn't even take one step.
And I get it! So often we get stuck somewhere in our lives. We see what we (at least think we) need...and get stuck because the thought of moving is overwhelming. We can't seem to identify the thing(s) we need to move away from and truly what it is we are moving toward. I used to feel "stuck" with my relationship with God (or lack thereof). I used to look in awe at others who expressed that they had one. I'd think, "Wow! To have faith like that, but I'm just not like that" OR "I just don't know how you would get there." Then the thought would diminish, and I would carry on with the same things I was doing - more or less saying "well good for them". I could see a need, I was sure it would be "great", but I didn't have a vision of what that really was...and I wasn't aware of what it was that I needed to let go of. So, I was in a standstill...for a long time.
I didn't realize that as soon as I pursued Him, the world would start to come into focus. I would start to see it differently. I would start to understand the value of seeing my sin for what it was - and what this meant for my position with a holy God. And how desperately I needed a Savior.
And, as soon as I said "Jesus, I need more of you and less of me."...as soon as I talked to Him, I found He was there the whole time waiting for me to listen.
See, God promises that if we seek Him, He is there. He doesn't work in our lives visibly until we truly surrender our lives to Him - we cannot see His work unless we truly trust His will. He cannot be known to the fullest until we move.
"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you." James 4:8
When we spend time in His living word, He reveals to us who He is and who we are as children of God - and what that means for how we experience, and what we are called to do with, our lives here on this earth. When we live in fellowship with and glorify Him through relationships with our sisters and brothers, he graciously allows us to see His work; we get to see Him change hearts in front our eyes. When we delight in Him, He pours into us to show us that He is the desire we have always had. When we pursue Jesus, it is Him that we find. And Him alone that satisfies.
“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. " Psalm 37:4
So - even though I was "stuck" when I looked at others in awe who talked about, wrote about, sang about the peace and joy they had in their faith in Christ - God was working on me. He was actively using each of those moments to chisel away at this hardened heart. He will bring people into our lives so He can work through them to show us where He wants us to be...but it's up to us to move.
