Do you feel like God has you in transition – that He has something else for your life? Jesus said we would do more. We cannot follow Him and remain standing in the same place. Running the race to win means covering new ground.
As mentioned in the introduction to this series, I personally know more than a handful of Workplace Leaders who are feeling God’s call to more – myself included. Responding to that call – particularly in this season – is critical, for us and those in our spheres of influence. So, for the next couple of months, we will be walking together through a discovery and response process. God bless you with ears to hear, and a heart to respond to His call.
There are three general steps in our process. We will call them: Position, purpose and plan. The order is important. If you are reading this, it is likely that you are someone that gets things done. You are not a pew sitter. That’s a good thing; but, it must not be the first thing.
Executing the plan before knowing the plan can lead to some dangerous presumptions. The same is true – to a greater extent and impact – for those that start making plans without first understanding God’s purpose.
I recognize that this is obvious to most of you. Still, it happens more often than we would like to admit. Why is that?
Most of us are simply too busy to stop and plan, much less revisit the purpose(s) behind the non-plans we are trying to follow. We fall into the trap of “flying by the seat of our pants”; and presuming the Holy Spirit is directing our steps. We are enamored by the success stories of those that claim to operate in this manner, and we quickly forget the failures.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all about following the Holy Spirit’s leading. I’m familiar with “man makes his plans, and God directs his steps”. That is a major step in the process. It’s just not the best first step. God has something more in mind.
Positioning
It is critical at this juncture to resist the urge to get on with the work. Transitions often include forks in the road – even crossroads. God has been known to change our course in ways we never imagined (think Moses, David, the Disciples, and Paul). We must position ourselves to listen… carefully and often.
Think about it this way: Your boss (that’s God) has called you into His office (aka, sanctuary) to talk to you about some major changes he has planned for the company (i.e., His kingdom). It is encouraging to find out that He has a key role in mind for you.
The Boss appreciates your initiative, but makes it clear that you have no way of knowing what He has planned. He’s noticed your faithful use of the talents entrusted to you, but warns that the plans He has for you will require more from Him; including, more of His time.
Therefore, beginning immediately, He has set time aside (on His busy calendar) to meet with you every morning. In those meetings, He will explain the desires He has for the company; to stir up those desires in your own heart. He wants you to be intimately aware of His purposes for the immediate future.
Now, let me ask you: Are you going to reserve that time on your calendar? In permanent ink? Will any other person or activity preempt your meeting with the Boss?
Will you fight for the time necessary, to hear and understand God’s call for the more in your life?
Humbly yours and forever His,
Rob
P.S., Next time, we will explore a method of positioning that has been particularly helpful to me. In the meantime, go ahead and put God on your calendar (and I don’t mean figuratively).