God gives us dreams and desires. Often these are BIG ideas. They are big, because He is big. At first, when the undertaking is still a dream, it is thrilling. When we step up to the starting line though, we can easily become exhausted by all the details.
A grand ambition like writing a blog, a novel, or perhaps a series of novels has a lot of moving parts. How does one accomplish such tasks without becoming overwhelmed?
1.
Picture the project as a giant block
of cheese.
Step back and envision what
the entire piece will look like. Your
destination does not have to be crystal
clear in order to start. The key here is to understand the general direction
of the works that the Lord is calling you to, and understand that it is part of
a big picture.
2.
Take a bite.
You would choke if you
tried to eat an entire block of cheese at once. And, if you just stare at it with a mindset that it is “too
big and impossible to eat” it will remain a chunk of cheese forever. The only choice
left is to take one bite at a time. Take a deep breath, trust God to direct
each mouthful, then take a bite. God is honored when we step out in obedience
and begin.
3.
Keep chewing.
Focus on ONE bite at a
time, and do not stop until you swallow. Once the going gets tough it is easy
to quit or assume that we are on the wrong path. Some steps are long, and hard. It is through this
process though that the Lord shapes us. So keep at it!
4.
Savor each bite.
Sometimes we do not end up
where we thought we were going. Perhaps this is God teaching us to rely entirely
on Him and lean not on our own understanding. So enjoy the scenery because you
may never be back.
5.
Digest.
If we are not cautions, we
can get wrapped up in our own labor and miss God’s work. Be careful not to
overlook the miracles along the way, and certainly do not miss out on opportunities
to share them.No matter the size of the block of cheese, keep stepping back to gain focus on the works that you have been called to. Take one bite at a time and keep at it to completion. Enjoy the journey and don’t miss the Lord’s hand in all you do.
Even if you are lactose intolerant, works done for the Glory of God is one block of cheese you can digest.
Photo by Patrick Hoesly - Photo Pin
