Skip to main content

“Whenever we take on a God-sized challenge, self-sufficiency is no longer an option.”

A thought by Erwin Raphael McManus from his book, Chasing Daylight: Seize the Power of Every Moment (Kindle Location 843). Kindle Edition.

That is one of the main reasons we are given the opportunity of taking on God-sized challenges, He wants us to depend on Him.  When we can do it on our own then we don’t need Him and someone else. We do that so we won’t share the credit and also many times so we won’t fail.  The need to not fail drives us more it seems than the need for faith.  But to Him without faith it is impossible to please Him.  To please Him or bring Him glory is the reason why we are alive.  Somehow we need to really get that into our life view and live it.

Now I know there is fear in faith but there is also fear in failing.  Failure takes something out of you and faith puts something in. 

I can point to many God-sized challenges in my life but I think that retirement has been one of the most challenging opportunities that God has ever given me.  For a while I wasn’t sure if I would find the reason for me to have made this drastic step in Margaret and my life but I’m finding it to be the most challenging and exciting period in our lives.  He has changed me and is adapting me to the task He has for me to do each and every day.  Living out this God-shaped adventure has been so very rewarding.  God is so good. 

This last year we have lived in Oceanside, New York, Seminole, Florida and now Pasadena, California.  If I wasn’t retired this life-adventure would never have happened and it isn’t over.  It is just beginning.  It is really hard to believe what He is doing in our life.  There is no way we could have done this without Him.

Understand, there is always a major risk in taking on a God-shaped challenge but it is so worth it.

So what is He challenging you to do?

Comments

  1. What is God challenging me to do...hmmm...play it safe? stay where I am? keep doing what I'm doing? remain "comfortable", focus on security for me and my family?

    nah!

    ReplyDelete
  2. that is so true. you have an exciting, challenging adventure ahead. i'm glad i'm going to be a part of it!!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

“There’s a big difference between building a castle and building a kingdom.”

A thought by Bob Goff from his book, Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People ( p. 41). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)   Have you ever built a sand castle or maybe a Lego castle?   Have you? Bob says, “We actually build castles all the time, out of our jobs and our families and the things we’ve purchased. Sometimes we even make them out of each other. Some of these castles are impressive too. Lots of people come to admire what we’ve built over the course of our lives and tell us what great castles we have. But Jesus told His friends we weren’t supposed to spend our lives building castles. He said He wanted us to build a kingdom, and there’s a big difference between building a castle and building a kingdom.” Bob goes on, “You see, castles have moats to keep creepy people out, but kingdoms have bridges to let everyone in. Castles have dungeons for people who ha...

“God does big things with small deeds.”

A thought by Max Lucado (2011-05-02) from his book, Cure for the Common Life (p. 115). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) I don’t know how you feel about what you are doing and how it can make a difference.   You may feel that it is so small and not even worth the effort. Max says, “Begin. Just begin! What seems small to you might be huge to someone else. Just ask Bohn Fawkes. During World War II, he piloted a B-17. On one mission he sustained flak from Nazi antiaircraft guns. Even though his gas tanks were hit, the plane did not explode, and Fawkes was able to land the plane. “On the morning following the raid, Fawkes asked his crew chief for the German shell. He wanted to keep a souvenir of his incredible good fortune. The crew chief explained that not just one but eleven shells had been found in the gas tanks, none of which had exploded. “Technicians opened the missiles and found them void of explosive cha...

"Lie 2: The more you worry about it, the better your odds of avoiding it."

A thought by Louie Giglio in his book,   Winning the War on Worry    (p. 5). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Here is another lie that the Enemy uses with us. And Louie says, "This is a tricky lie. Yes, we often have cause for concern and preparation. But the Enemy wants you to believe that if you worry or fret over a certain outcome long enough, you can keep something bad from happening." But this is so important to realize. He says, "The reality is worrying has never once prevented something negative from happening. Planning might. Prayer has. But worry never will." He continues, "The Enemy tells you that by worrying about a situation (or every situation) you can make your tomorrow better. Really, worry just robs you of today. Jesus implored us: 'I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body mor...