Every Thursday I feature a “throwback” post from my blog archive. The goal is to look back and discover new lessons or opportunities to grow. This week, we’ll look at “Nothing is Wasted” You can view the original post here. For today, here’s a quick recap and a few more thoughts about our appreciating the season you’re in.

If someone told me even five years ago where I would be now, I probably wouldn’t have believed it. Five years ago I was preparing to move to Omaha, Nebraska to step into a role as a campus youth pastor at a multi-site church. For me, that was the entirety of the plan. I wasn’t looking at next steps, opportunities for advancement, or any of those other things that come stock in the “Do you have any questions for us?” section of a job interview. I was simply looking to get back to a place where I could live out the call God had placed on my life. But just like the original post, God had so much more. Little did I know that he would lead me to a place where I would get to lead the team and eventually to a place where I would lead multiple teams. 

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Don’t miss out on this week’s, “5 Awesome
Things,” newsletter. It’s a weekly encouragement
and celebration of all things awesome! Don’t Miss it!

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It’s easy to wonder why God doesn’t just drop the whole plan on us with dates, times, and locations. It would really reduce the level of stress that comes along with wondering, waiting, and hoping. It would also reduce the sting of unexpected negative turns by well… eliminating the unexpected part of all of that. Personally, that sounds kind of awesome. If I could calendar the up and down moments, I could prepare myself for them and I could have more comfort in waiting seasons because I would know exactly when they would come to an end. But if I ask for that what am I really asking for? 

I am actually asking God to remove my need for faith and my need to stay connected to him. It may sound like it would be easier and less stressful. But it also sounds really boring. If I remove the mystery from my life, I remove the wonder. I remove the potential to see the places where God was at work behind the scenes in the times I felt lost. I would remove the ability to be surprised by His grace and provision. 

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God wants us to draw close to Him. Not for His benefit, but for ours. He is faithful to lead and guide us on the right path, but he is also faithful to only give us what is appropriate. Psalm 119:105 tells us that God’s word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. The type of lamp the author refers to here never illuminates the whole picture, only the next few steps. It is our job to take those next few steps in faith as he continues to illuminate the path and draw us forward. 

Wherever you are today, know that God has so much more for you but He’s leading you there in a way that makes sure you are ready to handle that call when you get there. Waiting is not fun, uncertainty is not fun, and wandering is not fun. But that waiting, uncertainty, and wandering are all preparing you to step fully into whatever he is leading you to. Wait well today. Draw in close to Him. Let Him guide you and trust that He has so much more for you on the other side.