Have you ever prayed to God for something?  (Unless you are an atheist…in which case you probably aren’t reading my blog…the answer is most likely yes.)  We have all asked for something.  A new car, a raise, a healthy baby, a safe trip, a heart-attack-causing burger to be miraculously good for you, or to “remember” all the answers to the test you didn’t study for.  What about the more serious stuff?  Courage, strength, patience, etc.  Yeah, you probably have done that too.  Seems like more often than not, when we pray for patience God doesn’t just say, ” OK!  You are now more patient!.  But instead He gives us an opportunity to be patient.  To learn patience.  Instead of God just granting our genie-in-a-bottle wish for strength, He gives us a situation in which we need to rely on Him for strength.  To learn that we have His strength.

I think I am in the middle of one of those times.  Several months back I took my blogging, designing and thinking in a different direction.  I wanted something that would/could be bigger than me (pardon the overuse of the blog title here).  I didn’t want to keep plugging away at something that was based on me and not on Him.  So I began to pray for something bigger than myself.  Funny how it always works one way in our mind but God likes to do something different!  So I redid the website.  I changed my focus.  I aimed for something else.  What I expected or at least was thinking about was that this blog might be something more than just me.  I didn’t expect Him to give me a chance to live a life bigger than me.  My idea was much smaller in the grand scheme of my life.  His has blown me away.

Since I started asking for something bigger than me, we have moved our family from our gorgeous beach home in Southern California to landlocked, weather schizophrenic Oklahoma.  We quit our job as a pastor at a church.  We have been looking for that church/work position for us to call home.  We have (I believe) found our church (large scale) but there still isn’t a job for me.  We have been provided for in ways that I didn’t expect.  But for me, the biggest thing is that I have had to learn to live a life bigger than myself and my ideas.  I am currently unemployed and while still looking for the job, I have assumed the role of the stay at home dad.  My roles have changed around the house.  With my wife preggo with 2.0 and much sicker than she was with our first, she has been out of commission (throwing up lots) on a few occasions.  I am getting first hand experience at what it takes to take care of the house, make dinner for picky kids, play with a kid all day, and try to keep my sanity.

Don’t hear me wrong.  There is nothing wrong with this changing of my role.  It’s just not the life I expected or asked for.  It is definitely different than what I had planned out.  But between the times that I am down on myself for not making something else happen, I know that God has given me an opportunity to live out the dream of “bigger than me”.  He just had it look different than I did.

What are you wishing/dreaming/hoping for?  If it is patience, keep your eyes open for the next time you are stuck in traffic.  If it is courage, maybe it’s time to stand up to your boss.  If it is strength, look for someone that needs you to help them be strong.  If it is to live “bigger than me”, watch out!  You might be a stay at home dad before you know it!

When you think about your plans/hopes/dreams when do you imagine them happening?  Is it a “someday” thought?  Is it “soon but not yet”?  Or is it now?  I don’t know about you but many times I fall into the soon but not yet category.  I want to learn to surf, but I just haven’t quite found the time.  I’m gonna go on a diet, but I’ll start soon.  I’m gonna redo my blog, but I’ll get to it next week.  I wanna start a new Bible reading plan, but I’m exhausted tonight.

Sometimes there are good, honest reasons for putting something off.  Spending time with my wife and daughter is more important that working on the Jeep.  I have a big step to take but feel God saying wait.  I need to start my new workout, but I’m sick.  Et cetera, et cetera.  But how often in your life is right time now?  Start the new habit now.  Start reading your Bible now.  Start praying for someone now.  Start saving now.

Whatever it is do it now.  Is your inaction holding back something amazing that God is trying to do?  Is your procrastination keeping you from doing something worthwhile?  Stop dragging your feet and get to doing what God has for you NOW!