Hello blog family. It's been awhile since I posted. We will pick up with Day 8 of "The Purpose Driven Life" soon, but I felt compelled to write an addendum to the "I'm Scared" post written earlier in this blog. I wrote about how it was my choice as a college student to leave a job that didn't utilize my skills and talents and only afforded me a paycheck. As someone who is still working her corporate day job but completely unhappy and ready to go, I sit here and wonder why I didn't take my own advice and just leave. Well...here's what I discovered...
Life has changed dramatically since I left my post as copy girl. I am a homeowner with a mortgage. I have children who enjoy eating and wearing clothes (though with the youngest the clothes are debateable). I have vehicles with monthly car notes due. Because we like electricity, water, and the garbage not collecting in a heap inside the garage, those bills must be paid, too. I, like many of you, have become a victim of stuff. Stuff can get in the way when you least expect it. Why do we hold onto jobs we no longer enjoy? Why do we drive 25 miles one way only to wish we were back in our beds? Why do we neglect our children for 3 hours to finish that last email or phone call only to find them asleep when we tear ourselves away from the computer? Most times it's not because we love it or enjoy giving the best hours of our day to a job that someone else owns. No, it's because we want to keep our stuff. What we need to remember, what I need to remember, is that God always provides - “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow...." Matthew 6:31-34 NIV
We can become so trapped by things that we forget to seek God and His guidance. Instead, we try to make things happen by ourselves. We go back to the "Yes, God, I could leave this job, but since I've got all this stuff to pay for I think I'll stick it out," or, "I know you just blessed me with 10 client leads, but I don't know if they will pay on time. I think I'll pass those on to someone else who has the time to chase them." Well, my friends, that is not the way to go - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
The two verses mentioned above are what I'm using to step out on faith and change my situation. My life is very different than 10+ years ago when I left my post as copy girl and even 5+ years ago when I was living in my family's house starting my technology business. I acknowledge that I have gotten caught up in accumulating a bunch of stuff and therefore limited some of my mobility. However, I know that if I trust God, He will open doors that I never imagined would open. It's true for you, too. This does not mean giving up the purpose God placed on your heart. No, it means that you need to create a viable plan to achieve it. For me, that means changing my current work situation so that I can be in an environment conducive to working on my business when I get home and on the weekends. Right now thoughts of my current job take up so many of my thoughts that I need to just let it go. Rather than just complain, I have actually put applications in at several local companies. Pray for me ya'll. If it's for me, then God will open that door. I do still have strong entrepreneurial desires and a better day job will enable me to put those pieces together quicker. The economy is crazy right now, and jobs seem to be scarce. However, I have to trust God, stop worrying and step out on faith. He's never let me down yet...especially when it really mattered.
So...in the midst of all your grown folks stuff - house, car, kids, gym memberships, shopping habits, etc. - are you willing to modify your plans enough to make way for God's purpose? Remember, it may not mean leaving your job, relationship, hometown, school, etc. tomorrow, but it does mean trusting God and taking tiny steps toward your purpose. That's how grown folks make it happen. :-)
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