Will You Crash in a Mess or Catch God’s Mission?
Inside: God has a purpose for us on Earth, which will prepare us for our forever role in Heaven. This is how we define mission, we have a unique job here that we can only do. What if we miss our mission, so shouldn’t we be seeking out His guidance?
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My daughter will be a sophomore in high school this year. She has been wrestling over what classes to take to jump-start her college career.
She has been looking up different careers but is feeling frustrated.
How does one decide a career when all they’ve done is be in school?
If I go back in the past, I remember feeling this way. This was a huge decision, and I didn’t want to make a bad choice.
What if I got that decision wrong?
Following Our Own Path
When I did a Google search about picking the wrong career, many results came up. Obviously, this happens a lot.
Many people are also working in jobs they dislike. According to Forbes, 70% of people hate their jobs.
Are these people seeking God’s guidance?
How would you define mission?
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word mission means a specific task with which a person or a group is charged or a calling, vocation.
You have a Unique Mission
God has a purpose for us on Earth, which will prepare us for our forever role in Heaven. Shouldn’t we be seeking out His guidance for major life decisions such as a college career or long-term job?
I didn’t pray for guidance or wisdom during this period. Looking back, I’m shaking my head. Why didn’t I?
I think that I felt I knew better than God.
I wanted control of my own destiny. If I left it to God, I thought I’d end up being a missionary in a far-off land?
Isn’t it bad that’s where I thought God would choose?
How do we nudge our children closer to God as they become of age and these decisions become real?
Praying for Wisdom
As a parent, I need to remind my kids that God is the Ultimate Guidance Counselor. He promises to give wisdom when we ask.
5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. (James 1:5, NLT).
3 Ask me and I will tell you remarkable secrets you do not know about things to come (Jeremiah 33:3, NLT).
Seeking God
This is a deliberate action to get closer to God. A daily choice to make time for God. God can give His best guidance when we are in an intimate relationship with Him.
47 Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God (John 8:47, NLT).
Accepting the Path
God uses all situations to prepare us. Sometimes it’s not what we would have chosen, but He has our best interest at heart. He knows us better than we know ourselves. If He knows what will truly make us happy, wouldn’t we want that?
Jumping Even When I Don’t See My Landing
God wants us to walk in faith and obey Him right away. If we drag our feet we miss the blessings that come with obeying Him. Many times these blessings aren’t physical things, but rather heart things. Gifts such as compassion, self-control, gentleness, love, kindness etc. (for more gifts look up fruits of the Spirit).
Trusting the Pilot
Now that my daughter is embarking on the beginning of her life’s journey, I’m praying and reminding her of the Best Pilot for her life. He will not only keep her on the path but hold her up when she experiences turbulence along the way.
How much smoother and less stressful that time frame would have been for me had I turned to God and put Him in the driver’s seat.
As parents, we need to nudge our kids closer to God. It means, continuing to suggest amidst the eye-rolls, and praying that our children will find a storehouse of knowledge within the Bible for every life decision.
The Pilot prepares the plane for the best path.
God is anxiously waiting for our children to ask for wisdom and to give control over to Him. He wants to help our kids find fulfillment in their roles and happiness that goes beyond this life.
Such great wisdom here Julie! Having avidly prayed for my children in so many areas, I have watched God direct and guide situations in their lives as He answered these prayers, and it propels our children toward Him each and every time! Love your intentional heart!
Thanks Crystal for stopping by!
Julie
Great wisdom here, Julie! And definitely applicable to any age. I still want to be turning to God for guidance and wisdom as I make decisions. Your kiddos are blessed to have you pointing them to the Lord for direction. Blessings to you!
Thanks Deb for the kind words!
I’m glad you stopped by!
Julie
Good stuff. It’s so hard to know God’s leading. In our little minds he’s so often quiet. But He will guide us, we just have to keep taking that first step!
Thanks Carol for stopping by! The first step is the scariest but after there’s a feeling of freedom because we’ve stepped into His will. Here’s to taking more scary steps!
Julie
Much wisdom here. Your daughter is blessed to have you teaching her this truth, praying, and supporting her. The Lord is with her and with you! Thanks for encouraging us all to seek the Lord in our decisions!
Thanks Bethany for the kind words!
Julie
Mama hearts unite! I, too, wish I would have had that wisdom and that life of prayer when making those decisions! I know God has redeemed all my messes and put me back on His path over and over again, but goodness I could have had a much more direct path! ha! I love the wisdom you shared here and the hope you give to other parents as they need to relinquish the grips of control in our children. Your hope will help others let go, knowing they have and are preparing their children to listen and follow God. Thanks so much for being such a valuable part of #MomentsofHope!
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
Lori- we’ve learned so much over our lives, which we can share with our kids. Even if they aren’t interested yet, I hope my kids will find such great wisdom in God’s Word.
Julie
Just what I needed to hear. Keep praying and nudging them towards God despite the eye-rolls and waning interest. Thanks for the encouragement.
Thanks for stopping by!
Julie
It seems only yesterday that I was asking myself those same questions. I wanted so badly to prevent them from walking in my shoes. I was given that educational opportunity and slapped it in the face. Hindsight is 20/20, they say. God has been faithful. All three of my children are college graduates one has obtained her Masters. Did they fail along the way, absolutely. But God who is rich in mercy has sustained them in spite of them. My best advice would be to remain transparent and teach by example. You have a mother’s heart. You will do just fine.
Calvonia- thank you for the words and encouragement !
I appreciate it!
Julie
Julie,
I just love the beginning paragraph you share here. I love when people are open to share their mess with one another so that we can extend a hand to pull one another along. And this place of parenting, sister, I totally get what you mean. I ask my kids often to forgive my mess and to please never see God through me but to see the power of the redemption through the Cross as I point to Him in my failures and rejoice when He meets us and raises us up out of that mess. I have a soon-to-be senior and those decisions are really staring us in the face, and I am grateful we have had that chance to pray together to seek His wisdom in approaching that place in the journey.
Grateful you shared this at #GraceMoments Link Up.
Blessings,
Dawn
Dawn- thank you for your kind words of encouragement! I’m glad you stopped by!
Julie
I love the idea of teaching our children to seek God each step of the way, unfortunately, they don’t always adhere to what we have taught them. I have two adult daughters and one thing I have learned is to trust God. He knows what path they are going to go down…even when it is a self-destructive one and He knows exactly what it is going to take to bring them to the foot of His cross. That is the most important thing. Yes, we want our kids to live a full and productive life and love what they are doing, but even more so, we want them to walk with Him. Thanks for sharing your insights and wisdom. – Amy
http://stylingrannymama.com/
Amy- thank you for sharing your experience! Trusting in Him and praying for our kids is what we need to do!
“As parent’s we need to nudge our kids closer to God. It means, continuing to suggest amidst the eye-rolls, and praying that our children will find a storehouse of knowledge within the Bible for every life decision.” – Yes! We can’t give up just because we may get hmphs and eye-rolls.
Melissa- I agree! I try to show my kids how much I need God!
God can and WILL give his beat guidance when we are in an intimate relationship with Him.
Ann- Thank you for this insight!
I love the way my husband put it to my daughter, “Jocelyn, your job won’t make you happy. God, your family, your calling…they will make you happy. So, find a job that allows you to thrive for those things.”
Erin- that sounds like great advice!
I think a part of how we do it is we start when they are young, praying over every day decisions and sharing with them how we pray through decisions and listen to God. So I guess even if they aren’t young, opening up that praying process is important.
Susan- thank you for this insight!
Kristi- this is great advice!