What happens when we start to question; even challenge, the path that we are on? We all live with guidelines to life that have been established over time by our upbringing, culture, family, and faith convictions. We hold them to be true and key to living a good and fruitful life. These guidelines or values will help to determine paths that we take and effect decisions we make. Your current path may even be fruitful…an apple here and there; but have you failed to consider how breaking from the norm and taking a new path has the potential to produce an orchard??
In life we tend to follow these guidelines or values and then watch how the path unfolds; maybe even somewhat passively. We may blindly follow the rules and traditions of past generations because “it’s just what you do…it’s the way it’s always been done”. This can be effective for awhile and feel like the best way, but eventually we may encounter a crossroads along life’s path. At that point we must stop and consider whether the path intersecting with the one we have been following holds something different or better; and start to ask some tough questions of ourselves so that we may really examine which path to choose.
Have you been on autopilot for so long that you never even thought to question your current path and try something new?
We deliberate on the internal rules and guidelines that we have set for ourselves…“if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”“don’t go reinventing the wheel”?These guidelines that we find beneficial in guiding us toward a good life may in essence be limiting us from ~ a better life.
You may be at a crossroads in your life… follow the existing path with an apple here and their OR change course and go into unchartered territory where orchards abound!
Wrestle from within~ And the wrestle within begins…this internal struggle against the familiar vs new and different. We are a unique generation that has come out of the traditional belief that you kept a steady job for the same company for 30 years and stored up for retirement. The cultural norm stated that dreamers and risk takers were the foolish ones that sacrificed security and stability. And maybe to some degree they are right, taking that leap of faith will shake security and stability. It may require more faith than what you have been operating on to do the NEW thing. Those first steps require faith in yourself and faith in God…that he is guiding towards a new path that is abundant and good.
Ask yourself~ Am I ready to take a new path into the unknown in order to realize the possibility of a new and more abundant life??
The fear of changing your path at that crossroads will force you to choose to move forward and grow or stay and maintain. You can maintain the current path, the comforts, the status quo and do just fine with some fruit along the way. Do you give up the sporadic fruit you have gathered and take a chance on an orchard? Rows and rows of trees, abundance beyond what you could have expected…it is possible with this new path?? Anything is possible!When you reach that crossroads…the one that is calling you to higher purpose…will you stay or will you veer left and take the road less traveled? Will you be obedient to the call and take the risk or will you reside in the familiar?Ask yourself~ Do I want a few apples or an orchard?
5 Keys to making the move with confidence
- Move when peace resides~ Do not go off of sight alone. The picture can be deceiving and look like a promise that is really smoke and mirrors. Seek peace in prayer and go where God leads. The crossroads worth the risk will also be dripping with peace. The Holy Spirit will guide from within…heed that still small voice.
- The path may not be what you feel qualified to do~ God rarely used “qualified” people to do his work. He often chose people that felt utterly disqualified. He took people WAY out of their comfort zone to achieve great purposes. They broke their own rules about what could be done because they knew it was His call.
- If God qualifies you, no one can disqualify you~ His call is what makes you qualified. He breaks the rules of this world to confound the wise. We get to be the vessel in the process if we are ready to accept the path and the job. He used a man that stuttered (Moses) to lead over a million people and speak on HIS behalf. Qualified for the path. Submitted to the call. He opens the doors that no one can open and closes the doors that no one can close.
- Opposition sneaks in~ Opposition will attempt to come in disguised as fear, doubt, and uncertainty to persuade you to stay away from the call. The call is leading to bigger pastures, to break the rules of the ordinary, and to forward the purposes of God in your life. The enemy will come to steal, kill, or destroy that dream through subtle or overt distractions or opposition. If you have peace, you can weather any storm and invite God into the opposition to manage it on your behalf. Opposition does not always mean you are going the wrong way…sometimes it’s an indication you are going the right way…the way to breakthrough.
- Fruit starts to appear when we move into unchartered territory~ When we trust that still small voice and follow that peace covered path, pushing away every distractible inner voice that says to turn back (usually not God), we move toward blessing. Moving TOWARD His will brings about great fruit in the spirit and in the natural. New doors start to open, relationships are forged, and peace is your portion.
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