Planning To Be What You Want to Be

Before I start in with my notes from the last couple books of the Bible, I have one more thing that I thought a lot about this week that I want to mention. I thought about planning. I thought about the person that I want to be when I get back from overseas, when I get back to school in the fall, even just when I leave for Chile in a month. It made me excited when I thought about all the awesome things that God could do and how I just want to be someone that hungers and thirsts for my God and that it's obvious to the people around me.

Then I thought about how that is going to happen. First off, I know that I can't do it. The Holy Spirit is the only one who can put that desire in me and mold me into that kind of a man. But I do have to act. I thought, 'If I continue to do what I'm doing everyday until I go back to school, will that get me to where I want to be.' My answer was "Kind of." I've got some things I need to change in the way I live my day to day live. One thing is meditating on different passages at work instead of just wasting the whole day. Actually there are a lot of things.

But I also thought, 'How many times have I decided I want to be a certain way and then not thought about doing anything about it?' That's a problem. Think about it. Why would you expect to be a different way if you aren't going to do anything to get that way on a daily basis. I bring it back to a basketball example because I enjoy it and it applies. I spent years saying, "I want to be a starter on the varsity team." Well I never did anything. Even when I did, I would go into the gym once in a blue moon and shoot 2,000 shots or whatever. Let me just tell you, that doesn't work. You know what does work? I'll tell you. Look at Russell Byrd, a friend of mine that is going to play basketball at Michigan State next year. The kid works harder than anyone I've ever met in my life. But he doesn't just shoot 2,000 shots once a week. He does this stuff everyday. It creates a habit. It's a part of him now, because that has been a constant for so long. It would probably feel weird for him to go a couple of days without being in the gym working out.

The point is that you can't go to some conference like Passion or Raft Trip once or twice a year and expect to be closer to God. It has to become your life. It's not a part of your life. It is your life. Obviously I still do things outside of reading and praying, but I'm getting to the point where I do nothing apart from God. He is ingrained in everything from playing basketball to driving to work. And let me tell you it's awesome! There is nothing better than having God with you and His greatness on your mind all the time. That is "truly life" like Paul says to Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:19. So just a little challenge/encouragement for you. Think about who you want to be in a few years. How much you want God to be apart of your life. Then think about if the way you live your life everyday will produce someone like that. If so, great. If not, change it.

All for His glory,

Mitchell