Off-Topic Thursday: What are You Waiting For?

There are times when I’m genuinely faced with indecision. Two equally good (or bad) opportunities and nothing that really favors one or the other. I haven’t sensed God’s leading in either direction, and neither violates His will or His design of me.

 

There are other times—probably more of these than the former—where I know what I should do. It may not be the runaway favorite, but I have enough information, guidance, and discernment to decide and act. And yet I don’t.

 

What if some of the people we read about in the Bible had done that?

 

• Noah is told to build an ark, then God doesn’t speak through the whole process of building it. What if he stopped part way through, or didn’t start at all because he was “seeking clarity”?
• David hears Goliath taunting the armies of Israel. He knew it was wrong, and he knew God had given him the skills necessary to put an end to it. What if he had waited for a direct word from God to act?
• Peter, Andrew, James, and John are called by Jesus to leave their fishing nets and follow Him. What if they’d waited until they studied and researched to thoroughly understand what that meant first?
• Bartimaeus, a blind man, finds out Jesus is nearby and calls out to Him. What if he was healed, but then returned to his beggar’s mat and carried on as before because “at least it’s safe and secure”?

 

There are many more examples. But the point is that in each of these cases, either through a direct revelation or an understanding of how God had made them, these people acted when the opportunity or need arose.

 

Why don’t I do the same thing? Usually fear. What if I make an unrecoverable mistake? What if I look foolish? What if I let people down? What if I let God down? And so I plan, and research, and practice in private, and sometimes just play it “safe”.

 

There’s nothing wrong with doing any of these things, in moderation. But I am guilty of doing them far too often for far too long. And so I declare today that it’s over. Sure, I will still fall back into that mindset, but with God’s power through His Spirit living in me, that will be less and less. In front of all of you who read this, now and in the future, I make these declarations of what I believe God has gifted and shaped me for, what will honor Him, and what will lead me into a life of greater faith, dependence, and service.

 

 

1. I will run (not just participate in, actually run) a 5K in January 2013—what will probably be the first of many races.
2. I will be coaching clients half time by March 2013 and full time one year from today.
3. The ebook I am currently working on will be done and available for purchase by Halloween 2012.
4. My book (tentatively titled Faith and the Magic Kingdom) will be published by the end of 2013.
5. I will be a well-respected and sought-after travel agent, particularly in the area of Disney travel, by June of 2013.

 

There they are.  The die has been cast. And now I need your help.

• Hold me accountable. Check in and ask how I’m doing on one of these (whichever one you want).
• Get the ebook when it comes out, review it, and if it’s valuable to you tell the people in your circles about it.
• Spread the word about Faith and the Magic Kingdom (the blog). If you find value in it, help me build this platform.
• Tell me how I can help you. Is there something in particular you’d like to read about? Do you have a question you’d like me to answer? A problem you need some help or resources to solve? Let me know. How can God use me to be an answer to your prayer?
• If you’re in need of coaching, or just want to know what it is, browse through this website. Then contact me for yourself or, if someone else comes to mind that could benefit, tell them about it.
• Planning a Disney trip (Disneyland, Walt Disney World, a Disney Cruise, or Adventures by Disney)? Book it through me. Even if you already know exactly what you want, let me help you make it even better…then please refer me!

 

My prayer is that the declarations I have made above will come to pass, and I am acting accordingly. Besides my relationship with my wife, I truly believe they are what I need to be investing my life in. At the same time, the vast majority of the time, God answers prayer through His people. We say we will pray for people, but what if the prayer has already been heard and is to be answered…through you? We are often the answer to someone else’s prayer. (Is there someone whose prayer isn’t being answered?)

 

I can’t do this alone. You are reading this for a reason only you and God know, and that may be it. If it is, please comment below or on the Facebook page (or email me) to tell me what you’ll do.

 

Whether it’s answering one or more of the calls to action above, or it’s something else that deep down you know you should do but haven’t, don’t sit on the fence. Act.

 

Question: Two questions today: 1. What declaration(s) do you need to make—and act on—today? 2. Will you help me with my declarations? Let’s do this together! Talk about it in the comments below or on the Facebook page.