Devotional Time with God

To get to where I want in life, there are a few more steps I have to do.

I have to identify the issues and barriers preventing me from reaching my potential or goal. I have to know what’s stopping me.  I have to ask why am I not there yet.  Who or what is holding me back.   I know family obligations are my anchor in proceeding with my ministry.  Dividing up the time between work and home is a challenge.

Then I’ll need to make a step by step plan on how to get where I want.  How do I intend to get there?  It’s no point for me to do everything all at once. I must do something first things first.  It’s a quite difficult thing to write down by step by step plan, as I’m unsure what to do in my case of the family holding me back.  First thing I have to do is definitely pray about it.

Going through my plan will require patience and persistence.  So with the family obligations, I believe I need to wait for my wife to grow in spiritual maturity. There are just so many trust and faith issues that I have to deal with.  It’s best that I let God work His grace on both of us.  Never give up on expecting God’s provisions on us.

I’m also not alone in this struggle.   I will need to get my friends involved.  Since I’m in a new city, it’s difficult to find a “best friend” I can confide with.  But I am in a small group bible study that can provide support. Even though they’re limited in what they can do, they can provide prayer and share their experience.

Finally, I need to pay the price.  This is the ultimate scary moment for me.  I need to know at what cost is God’s ministry?  What am I willing to give to others?  Will it be worth it?   It’s God’s commandment to help others so it will be worth it.  My most valuable resource is my time, so that will be my sacrifice in order to reach my goal.

Lord, thank you for making it clear that I have to help others and set it as my goal in life.  You expect me to do this, so I’m confident you will show me the way.  Open the path, God. Remove the barriers. I have my step by step list, but let your will be done first.  Let my faith grow as I wait for the answers.  Thank you for the small group support.  I’m willing to pay the price.  Please use me and give me the courage to say Yes to you, Lord.  In your name I pray.  Amen.

What area of my life am I holding back from God?

The Purpose Drive Life, p. 84

I like to plan my life. I don’t like surprises. Being prepared and having the ability to anticipate what’s going to happen next is what I considered my best ability. But, even with so much planning and preparation, I’m still not a perfect person. I can’t expect things to happen my way all the time. I will make mistakes. If there’s one glaring thing that I’ve been holding back, it’s my pride — my own sense of accomplishment. For what I’ve accomplished, I have to dedicate it to God, not for myself. My abilities are God given talents, so it is only right that I use them for His glory. This is what I have to remind myself, over and over. I must surrender to God for he hates the pride in me:

To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.

Proverbs 8:13 (NIV)

What common task could I start doing as if I were doing it directly for Jesus?

The Purpose Driven Life, p. 68

I wake up earlier than Yantie, around 7:30am. This means from the time I open my eyes and arriving at work, I have no one to talk to. Sometimes I feel lonely. This is what I imagine God will feel if none of His creation wants to talk to Him. God wants me to talk Him, so I always try to say a little prayer after I opened my eyes. It’s not a long prayer, but it’s a way for me to connect with God and start off my “worship” session. Psalms 105:4 (NIV) said,

Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.

He is the source of my strength when the world fails me. He is the comforter, through His grace and compassion. I love Jesus with all of my heart, for it gives Him pleasure.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

- Genesis 1:1

It all started with God. It will always be that way. Essentially, our existence depends on our creator and He’s got a plan for us even before we arrive here on earth. That is the message that Pastor Rick Warren is delivering to everyone within the next 40 days. He started the 40 Days of Purpose series at Saddleback Church and its congregation all over the world. It is also based on his popular The Purpose Driven Life book which outlines a topic in each chapter, that is to be read one day at a time for 40 days. The book has a profound (yet practical) message and has changed a lot of people’s lives, including mine.

Within the next few days, I’m excited to re-study this book and re-learn God’s plan for me.