what's the next step?

most of my life has been spent yearning for tomorrow.

when i get my license...

when i graduate...

when i move out on my own...

when i get married...

when i have my own kids...

when i'm old and gray... well, maybe not this one yet.  :-)

recently a friend envisioned a picture of what this looks like and described an accurate portrayal of my recent journey.  God is a lamp that i'm holding along this dark path and it only illuminates one or two steps beyond me.  i'm straining to see so far beyond the light that i lose sight of what God already is showing me.  the end destination (the hopes of tomorrow) seem so distant and impossible because i can't see them.  in reality they may only be three steps away.

this last weekend, pastor jason spoke about how miracles sometimes hide in the process of obedience.  he explained the concept by using Jesus' first miracle as an example (john 2:1-11).  Jesus asked the servants to fill the six stone water jars which held a grand total of 120-180 gallons!  i had never really thought about how time consuming and challenging that might have been.  the servants had to go to the water source, fill a container, bring it back, dump it in and repeat.  when did the miracle happen?  was it the first drop that fell into the water jar?  was it the 100th bucket full?  all we know is that it happened sometime between the first step of obedience and the little sip that impressed the master of the banquet.

instead of focusing on what is just out of reach, i am learning to live joyfully in the moment and anticipating the next step God is calling me to take. 

"the only influence you have on the future are the seeds that you sow today."

Clive Pick