In my Bible Study, we are talking about success and setting and accomplishing goals. Of course, the discussion of, "What is the big goal God wants me to accomplish?" has come up. After reading the end of Mistaken Identity (Check out my past post on this great book!), I had some encouragement to bring to my group this week.
Whitney, the girl who ended up surviving the accident, is always being told she must have been the sole surviving student for a reason - God was going to to big things with her life. This caused Whitney to think she had to live up to everyone's expectations, but some words from her friends were a big help. Take the time to read Whitney's words from the end of the book:
"One day I was having coffee with a friend named Brad, and I told him a little about how I'd been feeling. In response, he read me a story from the Old Testament book of 1 Kings. In the story, a prophet named Elijah goes out into the desert to talk to God. He's waiting for God when he hears this giant windstorm that is so strong it tears the rocks apart. But God isn't in the windstorm. Then there's an earthquake, but God isn't in the earthquake. Then there's a fire, but God isn't in the fire. Finally, he hears a gentle whisper, and he realizes that it's God. Another friend had read the same story to me during my freshman year, so I knew God was telling me something through it.
I realized that instead of thinking that my life has to be some big windstorm or earthquake for God, perhaps I only have to let Him whisper gently through my life. That story made me realize I don't have to accomplish some giant thing for God. If I'm just a camp counselor who makes the difference in the life of one person, or if I'm just a mom who loves her children and tells them about Jesus, that's enough. It took a little while, but I finally figured out that God's purpose is for me to let Him do whatever He wants in my life, big or small. Being a part of writing this book may be the last "big" thing I ever do, and I'm fine with that."
I think that's just a reminder that we don't have to answer the big question of, "What does God want me to do with my life?" As long as we are serving Him in the little parts of our lives, we can be used in mighty ways for Him.
Whitney, the girl who ended up surviving the accident, is always being told she must have been the sole surviving student for a reason - God was going to to big things with her life. This caused Whitney to think she had to live up to everyone's expectations, but some words from her friends were a big help. Take the time to read Whitney's words from the end of the book:
"One day I was having coffee with a friend named Brad, and I told him a little about how I'd been feeling. In response, he read me a story from the Old Testament book of 1 Kings. In the story, a prophet named Elijah goes out into the desert to talk to God. He's waiting for God when he hears this giant windstorm that is so strong it tears the rocks apart. But God isn't in the windstorm. Then there's an earthquake, but God isn't in the earthquake. Then there's a fire, but God isn't in the fire. Finally, he hears a gentle whisper, and he realizes that it's God. Another friend had read the same story to me during my freshman year, so I knew God was telling me something through it.
I realized that instead of thinking that my life has to be some big windstorm or earthquake for God, perhaps I only have to let Him whisper gently through my life. That story made me realize I don't have to accomplish some giant thing for God. If I'm just a camp counselor who makes the difference in the life of one person, or if I'm just a mom who loves her children and tells them about Jesus, that's enough. It took a little while, but I finally figured out that God's purpose is for me to let Him do whatever He wants in my life, big or small. Being a part of writing this book may be the last "big" thing I ever do, and I'm fine with that."
I think that's just a reminder that we don't have to answer the big question of, "What does God want me to do with my life?" As long as we are serving Him in the little parts of our lives, we can be used in mighty ways for Him.
I like this post. Just follow God's leading each day and He will lead you where you need to go. He knows the future and how we fit in to His plan.
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