We have all experienced that moment when we are grabbed by the hand and pulled along for the ride. Whether it's a friend or a little kid, we have all been led by the enthusiasm of another. It's not a bad thing, sometimes we even have a little fun ourselves. But have you ever stopped to think that you can do the same thing with God?
Now if we are being honest, most of the time we think that it is God who is dragging us along trying to coax us into doing something that we aren't quite sure about. But the truth is that we can move the hand of God.
I was done last night, I had finished writing and I had no inspiration for what might be next. When I woke up this morning, same thing, no ideas whatsoever. But we have been talking a lot lately at church about putting a demand on the anointing; or another way of saying it would be, expecting God to show up when you decide to use your gifts. So I was persistent, I kept asking for inspiration until I got something that I could write. What I got came to me as a question, "Do you want a bulldozer or a bicycle, how do you want to use this gift? Now this question made perfect sense to me, but it might help if I explain why.
Once upon a time, I used to be a pretty good cyclist. Forty to fifty mile bicycle rides were a walk in the park, and every once in a while I would attempt a one-hundred mile ride (but those usually kicked my butt). I knew every back road within a seventy-five mile radius. One thing about touring bicycles is that they have very narrow tires. Hit a decent size pothole and it was pretty likely that you would have a flat tire. Most riders carry spare inner-tubes, after a few seasons you can fix a flat and be back on the road in less than ten minutes. Needless to say I had my favorite roads and routes, and then the bike trails came along which were awesome. Cycling has probably been my favorite hobby over the years, and even though I haven't spent to much time on a bicycle recently I do look forward to riding again. Now the bulldozer on the other hand has a little bit of a different meaning to me.
I have been to many church services over the years and I have experienced some pretty powerful prayer meetings. But there are a special few that stay with you, where something is deposited into your spirit and becomes a part of you. It has been at least five years since that night but I have never forgotten about it and many times I have questioned the meaning of it.
It was a Friday night and we were at a little church on the corner of 48th and Broadway in Gary, IN. I can still remember standing in front of Pastor Shelby as he prayed for me. Now this may not be the type of praying that some of you are used to, it was actually just more of a conversation. Pastor Shelby had put his hand on my chest and then paused for a moment, he told me to open my eyes and look at him. What he told me was this, "The Lord had given me a word for one of the other pastors but now He is telling me that this is for you too. You are a trailblazer."
It may not sound like much to you, but I have never been able to forget that moment. I have tried to figure out what that statement meant several times over the years, with no real clear interpretation. The one thing that I have learned is that a prophetic word always speaks to your potential, but you have to be willing to pursue it.
So fast forward to this past Sunday, it was after service and I was talking with one of our pastors. This pastor made the comment to me, "I just try to nudge people in the right direction." I chuckled at the statement and replied, "You don't nudge, you're a bulldozer!"
As I told Norma about this conversation later in the day, she had this horrified look on her face and said, "You can't talk to a pastor like that!" I laughed and explained that I wasn't being rude or disrespectful, it was meant to be a compliment. A bulldozer is strong and powerful; a bulldozer is not used to push people around, it is used to move obstacles and clear a path. It will make a way where there was no way previously. A bulldozer doesn't need to find a road, it makes a road, it is a trailblazer.
So back to my question, "Do you want a bulldozer or a bicycle?"
One is small, light, quick and meant for recreation. The other is big, heavy, slow and meant for work.
Do I want to write occasionally, when it feels good, like a hobby? Or am I willing to work at it, to write with purpose and make a new path for myself that others may follow one day as well.
If there is something deep inside you, something that you know the Lord spoke to you but just hasn't seemed to happen yet; don't give up on it. Seek and you will find, Knock and it will be opened, Ask and you will receive. What you heard was spoken to your potential, the person that you are in the process of becoming. The old you would not have been able to carry the weight of the things that you carry today, it is that promise that keeps use moving forward. Because if the path is unclear and full of obstacles it may be that you are blazing a new trail. You may not only be making a way for yourself, you may be making a way for generations to follow. So even if it has been years, don't give up. The answers do come; when patience and potential collide with perseverance, destinies are revealed.
Now if we are being honest, most of the time we think that it is God who is dragging us along trying to coax us into doing something that we aren't quite sure about. But the truth is that we can move the hand of God.
I was done last night, I had finished writing and I had no inspiration for what might be next. When I woke up this morning, same thing, no ideas whatsoever. But we have been talking a lot lately at church about putting a demand on the anointing; or another way of saying it would be, expecting God to show up when you decide to use your gifts. So I was persistent, I kept asking for inspiration until I got something that I could write. What I got came to me as a question, "Do you want a bulldozer or a bicycle, how do you want to use this gift? Now this question made perfect sense to me, but it might help if I explain why.
Once upon a time, I used to be a pretty good cyclist. Forty to fifty mile bicycle rides were a walk in the park, and every once in a while I would attempt a one-hundred mile ride (but those usually kicked my butt). I knew every back road within a seventy-five mile radius. One thing about touring bicycles is that they have very narrow tires. Hit a decent size pothole and it was pretty likely that you would have a flat tire. Most riders carry spare inner-tubes, after a few seasons you can fix a flat and be back on the road in less than ten minutes. Needless to say I had my favorite roads and routes, and then the bike trails came along which were awesome. Cycling has probably been my favorite hobby over the years, and even though I haven't spent to much time on a bicycle recently I do look forward to riding again. Now the bulldozer on the other hand has a little bit of a different meaning to me.
I have been to many church services over the years and I have experienced some pretty powerful prayer meetings. But there are a special few that stay with you, where something is deposited into your spirit and becomes a part of you. It has been at least five years since that night but I have never forgotten about it and many times I have questioned the meaning of it.
It was a Friday night and we were at a little church on the corner of 48th and Broadway in Gary, IN. I can still remember standing in front of Pastor Shelby as he prayed for me. Now this may not be the type of praying that some of you are used to, it was actually just more of a conversation. Pastor Shelby had put his hand on my chest and then paused for a moment, he told me to open my eyes and look at him. What he told me was this, "The Lord had given me a word for one of the other pastors but now He is telling me that this is for you too. You are a trailblazer."
It may not sound like much to you, but I have never been able to forget that moment. I have tried to figure out what that statement meant several times over the years, with no real clear interpretation. The one thing that I have learned is that a prophetic word always speaks to your potential, but you have to be willing to pursue it.
So fast forward to this past Sunday, it was after service and I was talking with one of our pastors. This pastor made the comment to me, "I just try to nudge people in the right direction." I chuckled at the statement and replied, "You don't nudge, you're a bulldozer!"
As I told Norma about this conversation later in the day, she had this horrified look on her face and said, "You can't talk to a pastor like that!" I laughed and explained that I wasn't being rude or disrespectful, it was meant to be a compliment. A bulldozer is strong and powerful; a bulldozer is not used to push people around, it is used to move obstacles and clear a path. It will make a way where there was no way previously. A bulldozer doesn't need to find a road, it makes a road, it is a trailblazer.
So back to my question, "Do you want a bulldozer or a bicycle?"
One is small, light, quick and meant for recreation. The other is big, heavy, slow and meant for work.
Do I want to write occasionally, when it feels good, like a hobby? Or am I willing to work at it, to write with purpose and make a new path for myself that others may follow one day as well.
If there is something deep inside you, something that you know the Lord spoke to you but just hasn't seemed to happen yet; don't give up on it. Seek and you will find, Knock and it will be opened, Ask and you will receive. What you heard was spoken to your potential, the person that you are in the process of becoming. The old you would not have been able to carry the weight of the things that you carry today, it is that promise that keeps use moving forward. Because if the path is unclear and full of obstacles it may be that you are blazing a new trail. You may not only be making a way for yourself, you may be making a way for generations to follow. So even if it has been years, don't give up. The answers do come; when patience and potential collide with perseverance, destinies are revealed.
Be First to Post Comment !
Post a Comment