This week I listened to Erwin McManus (Mosaic Church, Los Angeles) tell the world he had cancer in his podcast, Battle Ready. I have listen to Erwin weekly for almost 10 years. I can tell you this message was not about him. It was about us.
For many years, I believed that following Jesus would lead to a tidy, happy life filled with unchallenged purpose. I have come to find out, my theory was wrong.
What I know now to be the truth is what Erwin talks about in his podcast. You conquer one battle, only to gain what you need to enter into a BIGGER battle.
What battle are you in right now?
What are you fighting for?
What do you need? Confidence, persistence, determination, reliance, trust, obedience, faith?
Do you want to quit?
If you are, you must decide what ground game you will play.
Will you shoot all your arrows or pack up and go home? Will you leave it all on the battle field, or will you give up the fight?
God prepares us for our purpose in the ground game of battle. Preparation looks nothing like the dream at the end of the story. God does his most refining work in the preparation you may find no meaning in.
Pressure is preparation.
Failure it is preparation.
Hard ward is preparation.
Obstacles are preparation.
Naysayers are preparation.
Stress is preparation.
Set-backs & closed doors are preparation.
Other people getting more recognition than you is preparation.
The season you are in right now may seem irrelevant to the calling God has given you. It may seem small and insignificant in the bigger picture. But, you must believe. If God has called you into it, He has a plan for every step you take in your ground game all the way to your destiny.
Jesus said: “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.” Luke 16:10
My encouragement for you today:
Don’t quit. Stay in the ground game. It is the key to what you need to walk in your calling!
Angela Howard
February 6, 2017This is so true! It just brought me to tears. Thank you for speaking out words of life to encourage me to keep going even when life is throwing you a curve ball These adversities are purposefully used fir God’s glory.