How Far Can God Take You?

So often, we go around totally weighed down by the cares and concerns of just getting through life. We worry so much about ourselves, about our reputation, our image, our future, and all the stuff that God tells us to leave up to Him. But we keep taking it back, hording it for ourselves, so afraid to take our eyes off of our worries and fears, lest they become so huge and unmanageable that they just overwhelm us.

Let me tell you something. That is no way to live! I want to live for more than just the day to day. I want to do more than just get by. I believe that God has a divine purpose for me, for you, and for everyone else in this world. If we will just seek Him every day, if we will just lay ourselves down and realize that He is all we really need--realize that the best place to be is in His perfect will--we will begin to live our lives touched by His power and anointing.

One thing you absolutely have to remember, though, is that it's not going to happen when you try to do it on your own. Too many people have sat around waiting for God to tell them what to do, and when He finally shows them a part of His plan, they run off and try to "make it happen." With God, there is no "making it happen." We can't make it happen, because God always calls us to things that are far beyond our natural ability! He does this so that we will completely rely on Him, and to prevent us from thinking that we, in our natural strength, brought all these good things to pass.

It's important to ask God to show you His plan for your life. But let me tell you something that's even more important: asking God to show you Himself. God will always guide you into His perfect will when you will let Him lead you. He will not always show you the big picture right away. Why? Because the "big picture" is way too big for us to handle right now! If you or I had any idea what God wants to do with us down the road, we would either be totally overwhelmed, or we would just laugh and say "that won't happen." And even if we stepped out in faith and trusted God to help us accomplish His will, we would become so far-sighted, so goal oriented, that we'd become consumed with the task at hand and ignore the peace and the joy that only comes from real, genuine fellowship with the Holy Spirit. God has incredible things for us to do, but we won't do any of it if that's what we focus on. We have to focus on Jesus.

"What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? ... Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." - Romans 8:31-32,35,37

So many times we look at our lives and say "What could God do with me? I'm too weak. I'm to young. I'm too old. I'm too shy. I'm too obnoxious. I'm too unpopular. I'm too sinful. I didn't come from a good family. If He uses me, it will only be for some minor, trivial thing." We've all had thoughts like these. But don't dwell on them! You know why? Because if you are dwelling on thoughts like these, you aren't focusing on who Jesus is, and on what He has done for you. God gave us His Son so that we could live through Him, so that we could be redeemed from all the corruption that seeped into the human condition when man fell in the garden. God's salvation is total and complete, and as we renew our minds to His Word and ask to be transformed into His image, we start to become like Him. We don't do His will by doing it our way. We get close to Jesus, He makes us like Him, and as we become more like Him, we start doing the things that He did.

What did Jesus do? He did everything He saw His Father doing. He walked in the power of the Holy Spirit every day. He was able to reach out and relate to every single person He came in contact with--from wealthy but sinful tax collecters, to ordinary fishermen (they would have probably been your typical, blue-collar working class folks in our time), down to the lepers and the prostitutes--the people that society would tell you were unlovely and unlovable. He "went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil" (Acts 10:38). He changed peoples lives. His presence set people free. His touch brought people healing. His words gave revelation that has shaped the course of history.

The closer we get to Jesus, the closer we get to doing the things that Jesus did. You may not go back to school this fall and walk on water or multiply cafeteria food for all your friends (who would want to do that anyway?), but you can certainly begin to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit just like Jesus did. He's reaching out to you. He's knocking at your heart, asking you to invite Him in, and if you will consecrate yourself to Him, if you will tell Him "Lord, I want to see my friends changed. I want to see people healed, delivered, and set free. Use me however you want to." there's no telling what He will do in and through you.

How far will God take you? He will take you as far as you are willing to go. He's unconcerned with your background. He isn't looking at your weaknesses. Most important to remember, He isn't concerned with your strengths, either, because your strengths are not the tools that He will use to glorify His name. No, He's going to get involved in your life, and He is going to work through you as you yield yourself to Him.

Want your life to be an adventure? Want to see something beyond the dull day-to-day routine of maintaining the status quo? Then get on your knees and tell Him "only You," and stay that way every single day.