I lived in a fast paced industry for the past 7 years of my life. And because I took pride in my work, that's all I had time for. Unlike other girls who go gaga over shoes and designer bags, I work to reward myself with gadgets, a car and vacation trips. These were the things important to me.
Sure I know God, and I pray to Him when I need to but I was too busy to really just sit down and spend time with Him. Although I rarely missed a Sunday Church service, I must admit that it's the closest I've been to God. I just couldn't find the time.
My calendar was packed with meetings, coaching, training, luncheons, dinners, sleeping, movies and getting together with friends. I was always in a hurry to get to my next event. But I honestly did want to follow Him. I know that deep in my heart, I was yearning to find Him. I just neglected to include that in my daily itinerary.
Sure I know God, and I pray to Him when I need to but I was too busy to really just sit down and spend time with Him. Although I rarely missed a Sunday Church service, I must admit that it's the closest I've been to God. I just couldn't find the time.
My calendar was packed with meetings, coaching, training, luncheons, dinners, sleeping, movies and getting together with friends. I was always in a hurry to get to my next event. But I honestly did want to follow Him. I know that deep in my heart, I was yearning to find Him. I just neglected to include that in my daily itinerary.
When we go through life in such a hurry we tend to push God into the spare minutes. We can't hear God if everything else around us is moving too fast. We have to slow down to hear Him. And that's exactly how it was for me.
God took away the thing that made me so busy that He got short changed with my time. The thing that I loved the most and took most pride in. God took away my job. No I wasn't fired or anything like that, He just moved me somewhere else. It was a struggle to give up my work but His message was loud and clear:
If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me (Matthew 16:24, NIV)
God needed quality time with me to change me.
Be still, and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10, NIV)and boy, did He work right away. Though I am still in the process of being who He plans me to be, I can feel my life slowly changing. God immediately came to work by introducing me to people who will help me, putting me in a group where I can grow, giving me His Word to encourage me and creating for me situations where I can really spend time alone with Him. I am awestruck in wonder at how He is working in my life and I am just excited to see what else God has in store for me.
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6, ESV)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV)