Paper Chains

In pre-school paper chains were made by cutting construction paper into long strips and then gluing the ends of each strip to itself. This created one link. Repeat this process a hundred times, interlocking them with the addition of each link and you'll find yourself with an award worthy paper chain creation.

As I find myself pondering over past decisions and being approached with new ones, my mind reverts to these paper chains. Stick with me. All decisions are represented by one link in the chain. This includes the small ones, the big ones, the ones that make you swollen with pride, and the ones you wish you could erase. Day after day. Year after year. One choice after another until you look back and realize that these links of decisions slowly build the life you live. This visual makes me feel apprehensive to make any decisions at all.

We are all faced with choices on a daily basis. Sometimes the choices are trivial. For example, choosing to cream my coffee this morning with Hazelnut instead of French Vanilla isn't going to alter the path of my life. Other times, however, our decisions can directly impact our entire future. There comes a moment or perhaps even moments where we must decide who we want to be, how we want to contribute to society, and where we want to devote our time. In this huge world, full of endless opportunity I often find myself overwhelmed and trying to figure out exactly what role I'm meant to play. 

Have you ever found yourself in this situation? 

Maybe we're dealing with this together right now.

Today I woke up finding myself unsure of the direction of my calling. Suddenly, I have felt pressure to discover how being called to study engineering intertwines with the calling of my heart to use my experiences to encourage others.

Um, excuse me God, I can't find this in my planner.

This morning I stumbled across a blog post by Beth Moore. This portion completely resonated with my current struggle. Although it doesn't reveal a specific game plan for life, it does provide all the answers I needed to hear.

 Beth asked,

"What do you look like when you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength?

Because THAT person is who He’s looking for in you.

Who are you supposed to look like in your calling here on earth and in the way you follow Christ? You’re supposed to look like the version of you that loves Jesus with everything in you.

That’s the real you.

And that’s the road down which you will find what He put you on the planet to do. You don’t have to figure out what to surrender to. Just surrender your heart to Jesus. Every single ounce of it. I’m asking you who is INSIDE OF YOU when you are flooded with the fiery love of Christ? Right there in that passion you’ll start discovering that purpose."

The good news is that we don't have to design our purpose because it's already in place. Rather, we just have to be attentive and willing to surrender our plans for His. We're not in this alone.  So instead of being anxious about the future today, fix your eyes upon the One who took our punishment so that we could be made whole, have a future that extends way into eternity, and be set free from paper chains.

That makes today a Good Friday.

jpr