Discovery -- Life on the Journey

Andy Stanley once wrote "Everyone ends up somewhere.  But few people end up somewhere on purpose" (Visioneering, 8).  As I sit here this morning looking out at the snowcapped West Elk Mountains to the east and the snowcapped San Juans to the south, I have found the perfect place to begin what I am now calling "the discovery."

Reading Craig Groeschel's book Chazown I am reminded that God has always had a special plan for my life.  I have not always seen it, and neither have I always lived it, but in spite of my obedience or lack of it as well as my best efforts along the way -- God still saw something special for me.  Quoting Isaiah 46:10, Groeschel reminded me of a powerful truth I have often overlooked:

I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come.  I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.

David declared,

My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:15-16)

The reality is "before God starts something, He is certain of the outcome" (Chazown, 7), and when we choose God's plan for our lives and realize that He "calls us to live on purpose, keeping the end in view" (Chazown, 7) we suddenly realize (or discover) how amazingly big it is to be a child of the King and know that He has a plan and will guide you into its discovery -- provided you keep your eyes only on Him.

I honestly think this is what this sabbatical is supposed to be for me.  Not that I haven't lived faithfully in the past or up to this moment, but like too many, I have fallen prey to the distractions that are so much a part of our lives today.  It is so easy to exchange the busyness of the moment and doing "good things" for resting in His intention of having us do the things He ordains in the pursuit of His chazown for us.  As Groeschel writes, "When you begin to understand what you're supposed to do, you can better discern what you're not supposed to do" (Chazown, 12).

That is the heart of the first two steps in my journey -- realizing the non-negotiables that must be a part of my journey, and discovering the things that are keeping me from realizing God's best for my journey and eliminating them.  The process is not easy.  I tend to see everything that I do as significant and important -- but not all of it is -- and eliminating some things for the sake of embracing others is not easy for me -- but it is necessary, and not just for me, but for all of us.

I want to discover God's best for the second half of my journey.  I want to realize nothing other than His Chazown for my life.  Listen to this prayer from Jeanie Curryer.  it says best what I, and probably you too need to ask of the Lord...

Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves.  When our dreams have come true because we dreamed too little, when we arrive safely because we sailed too close to the shore.  Disturb us, Lord.  (Chazown, 15)

May those words be the heart of our journey.