Have you been thinking you are meant to be further along in your life yet you find that you are in a totally different area than you had ever imagined?
One of my favorite Christmas movies of all time is the movie called, ” The Family Man”. This movie came out in the year 2000, where a very successful and somewhat selfish business man wakes up one day in the alternate reality of the question What If?
Have you been feeling like that this year? Have you been going along in one direction all of your life to find that this year smacked you into an alternate reality?
On the plus side, the movie did end up being a fantastic love story in the end, but the main character did have to navigate a whole new life than what he was accustomed to. Does this sound familiar?
Fortunately for us we are not dealing with “alternate realities” per say, but I do believe we reach certain impasses in our lives that may cause us to question our true identities.
The bible tells us in 1 Peter 5:7,“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”
How are we to combat the anxiousness that comes from not knowing what you are supposed to be doing?
There is really no right or wrong answer when it comes to how we deal with the unknown. I know that for many years, I was more than okay with living under a rock. I was comfortable with being someone’s else’s something. As long as I knew what was expected of me, then that is where I stayed. Brutally comfortable!
But, once I gave my life to Christ, I found that over time a shift started to happen within me. I think this year most of you have noticed a shift in your life and your resolve too.
I could no longer be comfortable with just being comfortable. My life was being altered in so many places (i.e. writing a book, becoming a published author, having a book for the world to see and read-totally out of my comfort zone btw) and I at one point I started to think I was losing my mind.
“So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” Deuteronomy 31:6
God has opened my mind and my heart to so many different perspectives. I was always very narrow minded in my way of thinking about how life should be lived. I grew up thinking you go to school, get a decent job, retire, and then you die. Simple right?
I had an answer for how everyone should live, move, think, yet I had not quite figured out my own path. I was everyone’s biggest cheerleader to step out on faith.
I soon had to learn the lesson that God will always go before us, yes, to not only protect us, but so we may grow from the experiences we ultimately will endure.
We will all face many types of impasses. Whether in our family, friendships, careers, and ourselves; we will have to face being uncomfortable. Can I get an Amen!
Now, even after all the anxiety and impasses I will tell you, I do still find myself wondering what God has in store for me next. I try not to get too wrapped up in what I have at the moment, because I know it will change.
Being anxious about change, is like being anxious about what I will be wearing on a daily basis. We do not know from one day to the next what will happen, and that is okay because we trust in God who supplies all of our daily needs.
Christ, who knows, gave up more than we would ever be willing to, to save generations of sinners. When you really take the time to think about that, your whole perspective changes on who God really is to us in our lives.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
So when you reach the impasse what will be your first move? Will you consult your limited knowledge? Will you talk to family or friends? Or will you consult the God, who always goes before you?
I cannot tell you how tomorrow will look or even how 2021 will be. I cannot say that the next year will be “normal”. I cannot tell you that the bad news will end at a certain point.
I understand being anxious, I understand the need to bury your head in the sand and I understand wanting to react out of fear instead of love.
But I ask you, “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” Mark 8:36
We are not meant to be of this world, just live in it.
So when things go awry, we stand firm. When bad news revolves repeatedly, we stay focused. When we see chaos, we become more calm.
God has given us all we need, in His word, on how to handle the unknown. If we were meant to know everything, then God would not need us to be who we are for Him.
I challenge you this Holiday season, to turn your anxiety into knowledge. So that when you are again facing your impasse, your faith will not only be an action but it will be an automatic reaction!
In my book, “Their Innocence, My Hustle, Our Growth-A Modern Faitherella Story”, I tackle how my anxiety held me back, but also how I healed to allow God to set up my comeback! This all would not be possible if I had not gotten uncomfortable to allow God to supply my eternal comforts.
As always you got this!
Sincerely,
Terryn
MODERN FAITHERELLA 