A Royal Calling | September 17th, 2018
At the beginning of 2018, I thoughtfully chose my new word for the new year. It’s something I like to do every time January rolls around. I picked a word that I believed would challenge my faith and trust in God. A word that would bring promise to me no matter how my “big dream” turned out. This was a dream I had resolved to work hard to accomplish during the next 12 months.
So, my word I chose for the year was BEYOND based on Ephesians 3:20:
Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.
My Big Dream
My idea of BEYOND is using my speaking and writing gifts in a really big way. For a very long time, I have envisioned my calendar completely booked up with speaking engagements for women’s groups in churches all across the Dallas Metroplex on the topic of the book I wrote titled, Beauty in a Life Repurposed. For me, that would be a big dream come true.
With all of the effort, focus, and time I was giving toward trying to make my dream become a reality (numerous phone calls, emails, and hours of preparation), I figured certainly God must be right on board with this, too. Here I am pursuing something that uses the gifts He gave me and it is a way for me to share God’s encouraging message to many women at one time about how He can repurpose us through our trials so we can shine brightly and beautifully once again. Something everyone needs to hear, right?
The Exchange
Funny how our dreams, no matter how good they seem, are not always what God intends for us. There is one particular verse that often pops into my mind whenever I start to think about how my big dream is NOT happening as I planned:
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9
When our big dream is not a part of God’s plan for us, it can be very stressful, creating anxiety within us when it constantly feels like a struggle to make it happen. When we give our dream to God, however, and allow Him to exchange it for His plan for our lives, we experience perfect peace. He is the Master at being able to make anything within His plan transpire without the added stress.
Jesus promises:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
Although it felt like I was over-striving, I still had a very hard time giving my dream to God. It felt like giving up. Hard to do when you spend hours of your life trying to make something happen. And then one day, it just hit me…
A Beautiful Reminder
As a collector of vintage costume jewelry, I am always on the hunt for good quality, unique pieces to repurpose. I recently found an exceptionally beautiful jeweled rhinestone crown pin from the 1940s owned by an antique collector:
When I saw this colorful crown with so much sparkle, it immediately reminded me of who I am…a child of the King!
As a child of the King, I do not need to over-strive for anything that is within His will and perfect plan for my life. Because He is the King, everything is within His power and ability. If He wants it to happen, it will happen! All I am asked to do is acknowledge He is my King and let Him lead.
The King is Your Creator
Your Father, the King, knows everything about you because He made you. He knows what makes you tick, what brings you joy, and has a perfect plan for your life because He deeply loves you and desires for you to be fulfilled with purpose. It is a plan which He has had in mind for you before He even began forming you in your mother’s womb!
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them. Psalm 139:16
As a child of the King, I never have to question the doors He opens and closes for me because He knows which will lead me to follow His perfectly designed plan for my life. I can push hard against the closed doors, creating stress and anxiety because they seem impossible to open, or I can walk effortlessly through the doors that He is holding wide open for me. His purpose for my life is not about my big dream. It is a royal calling!
The King is All-Knowing
Your Father, the King, knows your past, present, and future. He knows how you can best bring glory to Him with your gifts because of your past experiences, the people He is presently putting on your path to serve, and those who will come into your life in the future.
God promises that His plans for you give you a future where you will flourish and thrive. You can look forward to God’s destiny for your life with hope!
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
As a child of the King, He wants me to be able to rest in Him, free from stress to do exactly what He has planned for me, using my gifts for His glory. He certainly does not want me on an exhausting journey, filled with anxiety while pursuing a self-serving dream to bring myself glory. His focus for me is always going to be on how others can be drawn toward His love through my submission and obedience to Him. And in return, I experience complete fulfillment.
The King is All-Powerful
Your Father, the King, has the power to do anything. If you are allowing Him to guide you down the path He has set out for you, there are absolutely NO obstacles that can get in His way.
Why? Because He is all-powerful. His plan and the steps He asks you to take toward that plan may seem impossible to you, but if that is what He wants for your life there is no need to ever worry about anything blocking it!
Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. Psalm 147:5
As a child of the King, it is important to fully trust Him. It took me a long time to finally loosen the grip on my dream but I am now experiencing peace from having the freedom to let Him lead me as I am trusting Him and embracing His will for my life.
Open Doors
Each day, I see a little more of His plan revealed as doors are slowly beginning to open. No, not the doors of numerous churches opening for me to speak about God’s message of repurposing. Not right now, anyway. These are the doors of reconnecting with both old and new friends that are swinging wide open for me to spend quality time, deeply connecting one-on-one.
Perhaps He knows I will have a greater impact in this world if I can use my gifts connecting with one person at a time rather than speaking to large groups. Whatever the reason for these particular doors and not the others opening, the striving is far behind me. I can now experience peace and feel like I have a true purpose knowing I am making a difference in others’ lives as I am available to listen and encourage those who are in need of knowing they are deeply loved by their Father, the King. It is my royal calling.
A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. Proverbs 16:9
A Challenge for My Faith and Trust
My word, BEYOND, has definitely challenged my faith and trust in God. By finally giving my big dream to Him in exchange for His perfect plan, I am trusting my Creator who knows me best.
I am no longer leaning on my own understanding of things because I realize He is the One who is all-knowing. And I have submitted my imperfect ways of doing things to His perfect ways because He is all-powerful and has the ability to make my paths straight if I simply obey Him.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
You are a child of the King who loves you deeply, knows you intimately, and wants the very best for your life so you can quit striving and rest in Him.
If you have faith to believe His plan is infinitely better than your big dream and trust Him enough to give it to Him, He will provide you with His perfect plan, His perfect peace, and His perfect purpose for your life… BEYOND what you could ever dare to ask or even dream!
Spiritual Sparklers
Sparkler #1: Prayer
If you are struggling with loosening your grip on your big dream in exchange for His perfect plan, ask God to strengthen your faith and trust in your Father, the King, who loves you deeply, knows you intimately, and wants the very best for your life.
Sparkler #2: Action
When you see God opening unexpected doors for you to serve, do not be afraid to walk through them. It is your royal calling. When you obey His leading, you will experience true fulfillment and purpose as you use your gifts in new ways to draw others toward His love.
Sparkler #3: Challenge
If you have a big dream you have been working hard to accomplish, submit your plans to God and allow Him to lead you, even if the path ahead looks completely different from what you envision. Remember that His ways and thoughts are higher than yours!
Kimberly Moore is a blogger, speaker, and author of Beauty in a Life Repurposed and Kingdom Sparkle. To learn more, visit her website at kingdomsparkle.com.
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