You've Got To Be Kidding!

My husband and I went to see Casting Crowns in concert on Friday - WOW! What an UNBELIEVABLY AWESOME concert! If you ever get a chance to see them, I highly recommend it - this is the second time we've been fortunate enough to see them in concert, and I look forward to seeing them again. From my experience, Christian concerts such as this are really as much a worship session as it is a concert. It is pretty much guaranteed that God will use that time to speak to you in a very personal way - this was no exception. I have been hearing God calling me to take some steps toward doing something that is WAY out of my comfort zone, knowledge, experience, abilities, and everything else (I know, God doesn't look for our abilities, He looks for our availability, but...!)! While He has been planting seeds in me for quite awhile now about heading in this direction, but it just did not make any sense to me - I am SO not the person I would ever see in this role. At one point in the concert, Mark Hall (the lead singer of Casting Crowns) asked if anyone has had a "You've got to be kidding!" moment with God lately? I laughed out loud, I couldn't believe it! He talked about the things that God called him to do, and how he could name many other people who would be great choices to do those things, but certainly not him. I had just had that same conversation with my husband a day or two before, telling him that 'this is completely ridiculous to even think about, let alone tell anyone else about'.

On the way home from the concert, my husband and I were talking about that moment in the concert. We wondered why it is so easy for us to know that God is perfect, He knows all, He doesn't make mistakes, and His plans are always right - except for when He is talking to us! Then it becomes, "I think You have the wrong person, God", "You can't be talking to me!" Personally, I've seen that it is easy to believe these things as long as we are talking about or to someone else. In fact, I just recently had a very similar conversation with a friend who is facing a decision in her life and trying to discern what God's will is, and she has some fears about whether she can actually even do it or not. How easy was it for me to tell her: "Remember, God gets even more glory when we accomplish things that others know that we are not particularly skilled in.", "He will give you what you need one step at a time as you need it.", "True faith is shown when we are obedient to Him even when we don't want to be or when we don't feel capable to do as He says.", "You are only seeing the next step and not the end result - this may be only for a season, and not even leading where you think, but He still has a purpose for you to do it." Wow - is that not the epitome of 'do as I say, not as I do'?!

What is God calling you to today? But remember, don't ask the question if you don't want to know the answer, because if you are listening, He will tell you! I am choosing to listen and obey, and I am trusting Him and His ability to accomplish His plans, not my own ability. I'm reminded again of my need to surrender everything to Him everyday, one day at a time. I will give Him my very best today, and trust Him to take care of the rest! I hope and pray that you will, too - His plans are so much better than any we could possibly have for ourselves!