Surrendering

I have been reading THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE in preparation for our 40 DAYS OF PURPOSE here at First Baptist. And I was just reading the chapter about the importance of surrendering ourselves to God's will. In the chapter, it emphasized the concept (although this was not explicitly stated) of downward mobility. Simply put, downward mobility means that part of following Jesus is being willing to surrender ourselves to God's will no matter where that leads us. Often that means being in places that are insignificant, doing things that seem insignificant, instead of pursuing things like financial security, power, and the noteriety and admiration of others.

When I came here, I kept feeling like I was supposed to go to the place I was most needed for God's , a place where there were challenges, instead of a place of glory and significance. So I came to Colorado Springs, feeling like I was surrendering myself. I kept thinking that somehow, someway God would use me for his greater purpose. And then I would be rewarded.

I did not expect that the way of surrender and downward mobility feels like you are going through a very long tunnel, and that when you are in the middle of it your vocational hopes ahead look as dark as forboding as looking behind you. In other words, I thought the challenge would be to go somewhere where you were really needed , and then somehow the bliss of knowing you were in God's will and doing what God wanted you to do would carry you through. What I did not know was that somewhere in the middle of the journey of downward mobility you would feel alone, doubt you heard God right, and struggle just to keep your chin above water emotionally.

Yet, somehow thinking again of this decision process has given me encouragement and hope that I in someway was doing the right thing in at least attempting to be obiedient by coming here and staying here as long as I have. There is still the hope, though, that something new comes along soon.