With the exception of last Friday, I’ve spent recent Fridays chatting about a seriously goooood quote from the seriously goooood book Extravagant Worship by Darlene Zschech. You can read part I here and part II here. Today I’m honing in on the bold portion below:
Jesus grabs ordinary people, people committed to Him, committed to His plan and His purpose, and He uses them….Don’t feel like you are going to miss out. Be faithful, follow after the things of God, be genuine, be passionate in your pursuit, and trust God. (p.180, Extravagant Worship)
Today, I’m just going to be honest.
Sometimes I do feel like I’m going to miss out. In fact, it might be the negative emotion I struggle with most. And it can produce an almost-panicky, “I’ve got to do something!” feeling.
Call it restlessness or discontent or plain old envy (ugh, I hate even the thought of that), but it is so easy to compare myself to others and feel like the world is moving, spinning like a carousel, and somehow I fell off my horse…and am stuck on the grass watching.
Do you ever feel that way?
I certainly don’t feel it every day. But in the times when I do, I’ve got a pretty clear choice in how I respond: I can give in. Or I can hold out for truth.
And the truth, like Darlene Zschech notes above, is I’m not going to miss out.
I’m not going to be left behind.
The amazing, wonderful truth is that God is with us in every moment of our lives. He never leaves us behind. And if we make a misstep, He’s right there to help us up and point us the right way again.
When he’s my focus and vision and purpose, there’s no missing out. Because He’s the ultimate source of dreams fulfilled.
Do you ever struggle with feeling like you’re missing out…on dreams or desires or simply life? How do you deal with it? How do you re-focus on truth?
Comments 21
I struggle with this too. I find stepping back from social media helps me with this and helps me plug back into “real” life. There’s something about how fast things move online that makes it hard to keep things in perspective.
That’s a good point, Julie – stepping away from social media. I never thought of that, but it’s true: when on Facebook and Twitter, to feel like everything and everyone else is moving so quickly…
I feel like I’m missing out when it comes to having a writing career. Now that I’m digging into the publishing world a bit more there are times I feel like I am so behind where I need to be and if I don’t kick things into high gear and get my WIP finished and start submitting queries, I am somehow going to miss out on my opportunity – when the truth is, God has a perfect plan and I need to relax and keep plugging away at it. With a family of six, a business to run and all the other responsibilities in my life, it’s almost impossible to keep up with where I “think” I should be right now. Whereas, with God’s plan, I’m exactly where I should be right now.
Oh, we’ve had twin feelings, Gabrielle – that feeling that I’m going to miss out on opportunity, miss out on an open door. But I (we all) need to just keeping repeating, God has a plan…and it rocks…God has a plan…and it rocks.
Aw, Mel, I’ve TOTALLY felt this way. I have this extreme need to succeed, and feel like if I don’t do everything in my power, I won’t. And my life will be meaningless. I try (try being the operative word here) to focus on the fact that I’ve got lots of balls to juggle, and the time spent with people and with God is never wasted–and even the time spent at my day job is not wasted either (repeat that mantra!). Everything I do is shaping me and molding me into the person–and author–God wants me to be.
Sometimes I feel like I wasted time between then and now–why didn’t I start sooner?!–but then I remember that if I had started seriously writing when I was 20, my work would look nothing like it does now. My faith wasn’t what it is now…and that would have been reflected in my work.
God has called me for such a time as THIS. Not THEN. I just have to trust that He has His perfect timing for me.
Not easy to do, but we can encourage each other in that. 😉 Love you!!
I think God meant for us to meet someday, Linds. I’ve got that same extreme need. And even thought I know the truth–that I’m loved and valued and cherished regardless of what I achieve–I still have that urge to accomplish.
But I loved what you said about God calling you for such a time as THIS…not THEN. So true! I can’t count the number of times I’ve looked behind me and realized how God’s awesome timing was at play all along. I need to get better at remembering his timing when I’m in the middle…
Love you, too, and yaaaay for only four months til ACFW!
Definitely, M-Tagg!I want to get published, and sometimes that desire throws me off the carousel. While I’m there in the grass, I know I’m where I’m supposed to be, doing what I’m supposed to be doing and in God’s timing, not mine, I’ll be published. But sometimes I just want to help God out, find some way to hurry Him. Not going to happen. lol
Great post, Michelle.
I mean Melissa. Don’t know how that happened. lol
Hehe, mistaking me as Michelle is totally fine, Pat…I count it an honor. 🙂
“Sometimes I just want to help God out.” Me too!! I often find myself thinking, “Come on, God, I’m only trying to help you here.” And then I realize (sometimes much later) how ridiculous I’m being. As if He needs help. 🙂
Sometimes I feel like I’m missing out. I agree with Julie J above…sometimes a step back or break from social media helps plug into “real” life.
Yeah, for all the fun of social media, it has some hidden (and not so hidden) downsides. The temptation to compare myself to everyone else chief among them!
Ah … we all feel this way!
Why didn’t I start sooner?
I put writer on the backburner — and turned the heat “OFF” while I focused on being a mom. I had a lot to learn during the mothering years — and I couldn’t multi-task writing and mothering (at least, not the first time around.)
So, here I am, older and wiser (I hope) — but I am living my dream.
Could I have started earlier?
Yes.
And no.
Because I had other things to do during those years.
I made a choice.
The right choice for me.
And I have to be content with that.
Contentedness is really the best way to live anyway, right? And I for one am glad about the timing in your life…because if you’d started the fiction thing years ago, I may never have met you at that first Storycrafters Retreat. 🙂
And if writing needs to go on the backburned, I can’t think of a more worthy reason that raising your kids!
Oh, yes, I’ve struggled with feeling this way. I put down writing for well over 10 years. But as Lindsay said I know where I was with God then and now and He knew the right timing for me, spiritually and craftwise.
Beth, I LOVE what you said here. Motherhood is so all-consuming. I need to remember that and not rush the writing journey 🙂
Julia, thank you so much for stopping by. I think the theme through all these comments is God’s timing…I love that even in those seasons when we have to put the proverbial pen down, we can know we won’t be left behind. Dreams might be on hold for awhile, or different dreams might take their place for a season, but we can always trust God to finish what He started in us. And that’s just awesome. 🙂
Good heavens, I was sure I checked in earlier today, but think I caught your good SC post & missed this one. Love your honest openness here, and yes most of us feel that way & fear, just don’t usually ‘fess up. No wonder God loves you so much . . .
What’s amazing to me, Delores, is that this post and the note you posted in Facebook for the Ponderers fit so amazingly well together. I think God might be trying to get something across to me!
Oh yes indeed, I do! And what is so funny…or rather sad…is that I get so paralyzed by that fear that I just sit and continue to let life pass me by. It is the weirdest thing. It takes courage to jump into life. 🙂
I’ve done the same thing, Sherrinda!
Can so relate to your post, and feelings! You’re such an encouragement, Melissa.
I’m so glad it was encouraging, Paula. Thanks for stopping by!!