If Jesus is like you, He wouldn’t have even come. . . He would have said “What if I fail?” -Kevin Zadai
We need to approach and pursue our callings and purposes the way Jesus pursued us and His redemption of mankind. Jesus didn’t flinch at His purpose. He came to save, and He did. He never questioned if He would fail. So why would we question if God would prosper us if He elevated us to Jesus' position (Romans 8:17 and 2 Timothy 2:12), or question if we can actually do "all things through Christ" (Philippians 4:13), seeing how Jesus' plan was fail-proof.
There are SO MANY verses that remind us of our ONENESS with Christ (just Google it) that further encourage and remind us that God WANTS us to succeed and give us the desires of our heart. Yes, we are in a fallen world, but so was Jesus. Furthermore, He was a Jew oppressed under Roman rule, limiting His movement and activity to their jurisdiction and authority--sounds a lot like some of our situations (metaphoric, actual or physical) when it comes to corrupt government, red tape, and oppressive leadership tactics.
You've got this! And, I don't mean that in a cheery "hurrah" sort of way. I mean that literally. God already gave you everything you'll ever need . . . Please do not get in your head now, and start saying, "Oh, I've heard that before." No. Take it as a child--like the first time you heard it. It's a truth that is just as fresh as the first time you heard it, if not fresher because now you are allowing it to fully sink into your spirit. YOU CAN DO IT! Just remember, JESUS DID IT! He saved mankind. He did not fail. Yes, He encountered opposition from Pharisees and demons and even His closest disciples and friends such as when Peter said, "Never Lord...This shall never happen to you" (Matthew 6:22 NIV).
Jesus did it anyway.
God never lost sight of His purpose for Jesus, and Jesus never lost sight of God's purpose for Him. He did it! Oh, and guess what; Jesus did a lot more as well. You may ask, "What do you mean?" Well, I mean that Jesus not only came to die on the cross, resurrect and reign in glory; He also healed the sick, raised the dead, fed the poor, cast out demons, made friends, socialized, and so much more (John 21:25).
I bring this up to let you know that you do not have to limit yourself and wonder, "What is the one single thing I am called to do?" No. Do you really want to limit the God of eternity to having you do only one thing? And if one thing is all you feel called to do, which is awesome, believe me that God can increase your footprint and influence even with that one thing (Luke 16:10). So do not worry so much about "what" to do. Focus on the fact that you can and that God truly loves you and wants you to succeed, just like He wanted and knew Jesus would succeed.
Truthfully, God is not looking at you with a quizzical and suspicious brow wondering "Will he/she do it?' and saying, "I knew it! I knew they would fail me!" (Cue the buzzer. WRONG!!!). God does NOT look at you with suspect eyes. He looks at you with loving, endearing, authoritative eyes of assurance as a parent looks at a child learning something new, saying "You can do it. You got it."
Now, if you're unsure of where to go from here, here are few questions/suggestions that may help:
- Ask yourself, "What dreams have I abandoned that still remain in my heart, even since my youth?" It's not too late to dream (Psalm 126:1-2).
- Ask yourself, "What injustice do I wish I could remedy, and is there a way to get involved even now in a simple way?" Don't despise small beginnings (Zechariah 4:10). Sometimes starting small is the best way. (You can't fit a gallon of ice cream into your mouth, but you can fit a spoonful.)
- Read The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, which offers guidance on how to approach discovering your purpose. (Spoiler Alert: . . ."It's not about you."). You can only find your true fulfilment in the ONE who created it all (John 4:14).
- Maybe ask yourself some questions around the journalists' 5 Ws and H: "What do I like to do often, or What resources do I currently have to get started? Who do I like to help, serve or be around? Why do I like to help them or be around them? When am I most motivated or most fulfilled? Where do I feel comfortable helping and serving, or Where do I see myself in so many months or years in my dream world (soon to be reality)? How do I get started, involved or stay motivated?" [Sometimes the right, suitable foods, music, sermons, environment, healthy incentives, etc. can help with motivation. Consider such as resources. These may be key in helping you find the sweet spot of performance and effectiveness. (As a note, this bullet point came from the top of my head or subconscious memory, so there are certainly other and better tested, tried and true questions and resources to consider)].
- Consider signing up for a SOZO session to help you overcome spiritual and emotional blockages that keep you unmotivated. (For more info, visit https://www.bethelsozo.com/ and see if there is a SOZO leader near you. Some leaders also offer Zoom sessions.)
The above are simple suggestions (not rules) and by no means comprehensive. That is where the Holy Spirit, the Bible, a healthy community, and additional godly resources come in. . .God is with you and "will never leave you nor forsake you," (Deuteronomy 31:6,8 and Hebrews 13:5-6). God will refresh you (Psalm 23; Proverbs 11:25; Luke 18:1-8; Galatians 6:9, etc).
**Lastly and perhaps most importantly: Read your Bible. You can even start with the verses listed in this full post--maybe just a couple or a few a day. Success is not in the doing but in the being. Be with God, and He will Be with you. (Psalm 91; Psalm 23; Psalm 46:10; Joshua 1:8; Psalm 37:4; Matthew 6:6; James 4:8; Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew 25:31-43; Luke 13:27; John 10:10 etc.).
God doesn't plan for failure. God planned in advance for Jesus to redeem the world, before He even made man--recognizing that there may be hiccups along the way to try and stop our communion with Him. (Revelation 13:8; Ephesians 2:8-10). As with Jesus, God wrote out your finished work before you were even born (Psalm 139:16). So, literally, you've already got this. God is with you. God is not seeking your failure (Jeremiah 29:11-12). Rather, He is anticipating your success. Your purpose is fail-proof.
Happy Succeeding!
Kendra Scott
