At THEO, I am always impressed by the rare student who seems to have an understanding of their big picture. These extraordinary people rarely struggle following the crowd, and yet they have friends. They are content in their own circumstances – with their giftings and failings alike – and yet are pushers who strive to grow, learn, and accomplish more, never resting on their laurels.
Premise: God created EVERY human being with a purpose.
Conclusion: Therefore, every human being SHOULD be comfortable in their own skin, with their own talents or failings, knowing that God loves them, chose them for life and created them uniquely for an important purpose in His creation story.
SAD FACT, few people, of any age, seem to have their big picture, their calling, firmly held in focus. Few people, even Christ-followers, seem to know that God loves them and thinks they are a fabulous idea with a wonderful purpose in mind.
Irrational rabbit trail: Perhaps some parents are better at knowing their BIG picture is to instill a trust of God and the knowledge of His BIG purpose into their children? If that is the case, if the success of each of us lies solely with our parents, then life is a lottery as to who will be successful and who won’t be, completely dependent upon which family you are born into. Throw that rabbit trail premise out! It is incongruent with the God of the Bible who sent His Son to die for the sins of each person who is alive today, who was alive in the past or who will be alive in the future. He sacrificed too much to leave the results to a lottery. He longs for each one to turn to Him for a relationship.
So what exactly does this big picture concept offer a soul? Can the big picture be caught or taught or does it have to be engraved by the Lord into the heart of each person? And if that is the case, then why does He wait so long to send the news to certain people? (Answer: Perhaps He is waiting for us to ask Him? My God is a respecter of boundaries. He does not go where He is not invited.)
Knowing the big picture is not knowing which college to attend, nor whom to marry. The BIGGER big picture questions are: what do you want to accomplish with the time God gave you on this earth. Do you sense what He has created you to do? How do you value God? Is He your number one or is He merely an item in your top twenty favorite things?
Wondering if you are one of those folks with the big picture? I ask you….Feeling insecure? Struggling with your identity? Feel like you haven’t found your place in this world yet? Wonder why you were born? If you answered yes to any of those questions, I would suggest you lack the big picture that your soul was created for. How to find it?
Seek HIM!
Ask the Lord for His plan for your life.
Confess to Him that you don’t see much good in yourself and that you wonder how you can exist in this sad state. (He knows your thoughts, but He LOVES when you talk to Him.)
You might be surprised how quickly He will answer when asked sincerely from a posture of humble seeking.
I challenge you. Try it. What do you have to lose?
Lord, I pray that you will open the ears and eyes of each person who seeks You after reading this message. Give them eyes to see Your answer, ears to hear them! Help them to sit still long enough after praying to take in YOUR Words back to them.