WHAT’S IN YOUR HAND? Use What God Has Already Given

By AD White:: EEW MAGAZINE COACHING

When I was a little younger, whenever I wanted to start a structured business, program, or anything new, every creative professional I have ever met told me to write the vision.

I would hear: set goals for yourself; know where you want to go; flesh out a plan.

Each time, those phrases, designed to be helpful, would actually awaken nervousness in me. “Plan,” somehow, seemed like such a big, grandiose idea that required far more knowledge and insight than I had.

I wondered: what should my plan look like? How detailed does it need to be? What sorts of things should be in it?

My conclusion would always be the same: I don’t know how to do a plan, so I guess that means God didn’t call me to this particular thing—at least not yet. For a while, I was searching “business plans” or “strategic ideas” and coming up with some really intimidating outlines.

Facts and figures, projections, and lots of details scared me away from the involved process.

Discouraged, over and over again, I would walk away. I figured having a dream in my heart without knowing how to structure it was a telltale sign that I was too disorganized to be used by God.

That was bananas!

Over the years, I had jotted down my big ideas, what I wanted to do, and how I hoped and prayed to be able to do those things. They were my little “notes to self” that I really didn’t think anything of, especially because they were scattered in different notebooks and very spur of the moment.

Some of the penmanship was so poor when I was really in a hurry, that no one—including me—could read what I’d jotted.

One evening, in my prayer time, I was crying and seeking God for answers as I had done so many times. I felt like the vision in me would explode and turn me into small pieces of confetti. I needed to get it all out of me!

But how?

Later, during my Bible study time, Exodus 4:2 hit me as it never had: “Then the LORD said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ ‘A staff,’ he replied.”

I kept on reading and realized that I, like Moses, had something in my hand I wasn’t using! His was a rod that God would miraculously allow to part the Red Sea.

Even though my notes might not split a body of water and rescue an entire nation from slavery, I could do some good in the world. I just needed to see the usefulness of what I had in front of me.

From that day on, I started taking baby steps toward things I had been just sitting on for years. I watched, amazed, as God took my ideas and favored me, bringing things together in ways I didn’t know was possible.

You have something in your hand also that you’re not using. Here’s a way to get you started.

Treasure Your Treasure:

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7)

Your special gifts, talents, and abilities were given to you by God to do something awesome for humanity. There is treasure in you, a jar of clay, which, some days, may seem unremarkable. But not to worry, because the power is from God, not you. Lean on Him, treasure your treasure, and go in His name.

Know the Value of What You Have:

If Moses realized the rod in his hand had such great power bestowed by God from the beginning, maybe he would have had a tad less anxiety about going to do the work of the Lord.

Even though he was in possession of a supernatural instrument of deliverance, all he could focus on were his inadequacies and limitations. Are you that way too? I was for a while. If you're struggling here, learn from Moses’ example and know the value of what you have. Also, remind yourself that it’s special because God gave it to you to fulfill your purpose.

Start Somewhere:

One of my favorite questions is, “How do you eat an elephant?” The answer is, “One bite at a time.” No matter how big or small a task, it begins with one step, then another, and so on and so forth.

Once you know what you want to do for God and you believe you have the green light from Him to do it, don’t expect overnight results. This is not a race to see how fast you can get it done. Just trust God’s timing and start somewhere. Again, even baby steps, consistent ones, will get you there.

Assignment: Read Exodus 4 and relive the exchange between Moses and God. See if you can identify with any of Moses’ insecurities and pray about your own. Then, as the Lord leads, begin making steps toward fulfilling God’s will for your life.

Comments

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Thank you