Waking up

As I woke Sunday morning, my life played out in my mind. It was surreal. All the pivotal points in my lifetime came to mind. My choice of college. My marriage. Various jobs. Career choices. Every major turning point in my life materialized in my head.  What was strange about each turning point was that there was someone who simply asked me to move in that direction. I found this fascinating and frightening at the same time. My life could literally be boiled down to a handful of people who simply asked me to do something! The power of the simple "ask" is amazing.

What about you? Why are you where you are right now? I don't mean why are you sitting at your computer reading this. But why are you living where you are and doing what you're doing? Are you living out a life-long dream you had as a youth? Have you yearned for the place you are in life right now? Or are you more like me? You've said "Yes" to someone several times and this is where you've ended up.

Two thoughts came to my mind as I mulled my life  choices over that morning:

1. My responses to  being asked to alter the entire trajectory of my life (though I didn't know it at the time) was almost a knee-jerk reaction. Like picking up a candy bar in the grocery check-out line, I quickly considered the request and said, "Yes."
2. The request didn't always come from the person I considered best to advise me at the time. I'm uncertain if they had my best interest at heart.  

The Bible contains story after story where lives were pivoted on a simple request.

"Go from your country, your people...to the land I will show you." (Abram)

"Go to the great city of Nineveh" (Jonah)

"Come follow me!" (Peter) 

"Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street" (Saul later Paul)  

The Bible is quite clear that God is indeed orchestrating our lives. "God works all things out for the good of those who love Him and are called for a purpose." Despite a disinterested messenger, the hasty choices, or worldly circumstances, He still pieces together the parts of our lives for His glory.

So whether you are the one doing the asking or the one making the decision - know that in the former, God will use your words and make them more powerful than you ever could, and in the latter, God will go with you on your journey.