Christian perspectives

September 10, 2014 · 0 Comments

Have you ever asked, “What is God’s plan for my life?” or “I am only one person what difference could I ever make?” It is easy to get discouraged when we focus on all the great needs of the world so instead of doing anything we don’t even bother to try because it seems so overwhelming, and the enemy of our souls is more than happy when we choose to do nothing. Mother Theresa once said,” I alone can’t change the whole world but I can cast one stone across the waters and create many ripples. So who should we ask for direction to choose where we cast that stone? Let’s turn to God’s word, “ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart,” Jeremiah 29:11.
Do we believe God has a plan for us and how do we know if we are following it? The number one plan God has for us is to have a loving relationship with Him through His son and He wants us to lead others to have the same. He took the first step to realize this; He so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whosoever believes in Him would have eternal life. The second step is up to us, we choose to accept this incredible gift of life through Jesus. The next step, God gave us all different giftings and abilities to reach as many people possible to point them to Jesus. Once we have Jesus living in us he will help us figure out what our gifts are. Some are evident such as if you are a musician, a singer or a Pastor, those gifts are visible, others are more behind the scene such as praying, giving your time and resources to help others. Some gifts are cultivated such as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
These gifts grow in us by the Holy Spirit when we choose to put them into practice towards others. Some mistakenly think God’s plan is all about themselves and their success but actually it is about God and those who still need to know Him. It is about sharing God’s love with as many as He leads us to. If we trust His leading and submit to it we will bless so many lives and this will reciprocate back to us filling us with indescribable joy and peace. Other gifts are freely given by God himself, “I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions,” Joel 2:28. Some are called into ministry, “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up,” Ephesians 4:11-12.
Beloved we may not all be a Moses, an Abraham or an Esther but God can use each and one of us if we are willing. When we hear a still small voice telling us to reach out to a friend who needs godly encouragement or a person who needs to experience God’s love or needs to have their Hope restored, we ought to be ready to do what needs to be done because we are all called to love our neighbour as Jesus loved us. And if we are not certain about where God needs us to be or what He needs us to do, all we need to do is ask for His wisdom, (James 1:5). When He calls us out of our comfort zone, we can ask for faith and grace to accomplish what He asks, when he asks us to wait on His timing, we can ask for His patience and peace . Although we don’t all get visions or angelic visitations or may never face a burning bush, God promises this, ‘Ask me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ Jeremiah 33:3. So have we done what God has asked us to do lately or have we reached out to those God asked us to reach? If so then we can be certain we are following His plan…Asherey Shalom!