“I wish there was a way to know you are in the good old
days, before you’ve left them.”
-Andy Bernard (The Office)
If you are anything like me, you often view your life as an
ever evolving story that God is writing before you eyes, and you simply need to
try your best to stay close to Him in prayer and fellowship with other
Christians, so that He can bless you in all that you do. Thus each decision you
make, and each conversation you have, is a small part of the grand story of
your life that God has known will occur since before time began.
I have read books also by some insightful writers like
Donald Miller and Bob Goff who challenge each of us to live better stories with
our lives. That means taking risks and trying new things, while trusting God
throughout each and every adventure that we begin to walk out.
Part of living that story I think is not constantly looking
back on our pasts and longing for ‘the good old days’ for extended periods of
time. It is fine to look back and see what God has taught you, and remember the
trials He has brought you through, but living consistently in the past is
dangerous for our futures.
Solomon says as much in Ecclesiastes 7:10 “Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For
it is not from wisdom that you ask this.” If you find yourself asking these
questions in your mid-20’s it is probably a good idea to ask yourself another
question: what can I do at this point in my life to live a better story for The
Lord?
I know this to be true,
because back at the end of last December I hit a bit of a depression. I still was
living at home with parents at age 25, still working at a part time job I have
had since college, felt like I had no real gifts to use in serving Jesus, and
was looking back to 2011 as being the ‘glory days of my life”
Not a good idea by any
means. But it is where I was in those few days. Fortunately, I trekked down to
Atlanta with many of the rest of my friends from Church to attend the annual
“Passion” conference. Throughout those three and half days down there, God
spoke to me a lot about the fact that He doesn’t save people and give them no
gifts to serve Him with henceforth. He showed me that while I may not have the
artistic talents I have always desired, He has blessed with gifts in
hospitality, mercy and teaching. Not everyone has these gifts, but He has given
them to me. I came back to Cleveland, ready to begin taking action to change my
bummer story into a bright story!
First I began talking with
my other good guy friends about seriously sitting down and hunting for a house
for us to rent together. My best friend, another good friend and I met up, sat
down and talked and prayed about who the other two men we should ask to rent
this house with us should be. We soon found our fourth man, and soon after
that, God allowed us to find our fifth man. All five of us then, with the help
of an incredibly kind and fellow Christian Realtor found a house for all five
of us to rent within our financial means. God has grown me incredibly in these
last six months of living in Christian male community, and we have had many
awesome times in this house already!
As far as finding a full
time job has gone, well, I still don’t have that yet, but due to God, and my
Dad getting on my butt about applying more and networking with people, I at
least have had a couple of interviews and made a few contacts! I know God has
this in His hands and am trusting Him to provide in this area! At least, I do
have a job that allows me to pay my bills each month, though with very little
wiggle room.
As far as knowing more now
what my gifts are, well, I began teaching in the toddlers room at my church
once a month and am stepping out in Faith by this month beginning to lead my
very first Bible study at the house I share with four other fellas. This blends
both my gifts for teaching and hospitality quite nicely. I have also forced myself to try and listen
more when people talk, and not always be the one talking. In doing that, I have
found that people often want to share their stories with others who are willing
to listen, and I can have a compassionate ear when these stories involve hard
circumstances, thus operating in my gift of mercy and compassion.
I now don’t look back so
often and think that my best days have passed me by, rather I realize that I am
living some amazing stories and times right now, and unlike Andy from The
Office in the quote at the top of this blog, I kind of have a feeling that I
may in fact be in one of my best eras of my life right now, and I thus, am
going to keep seizing each chance God gives me to continue living a great
story!
