Getting Past Impasses

One of my favorite life lessons is that I don't have to do anything. By that, I mean I have an opportunity to evaluate my own life and make the changes I want to make. But do you ever feel stuck? Perhaps one or more of the phrases below apply to you:

1. You fantasize a lot, but it makes you feel depressed about your real life.

2. You resent people who have what you wish you had.

3. You find it hard to compliment others and be happy for them, because you feel like you could never have the good things they have.
4. You blame others, your parents, etc. for your circumstances.

5. You keep making the same bad decisions because you don't think anything else is within your reach (you keep dating freeloading men, working dead-end jobs, hanging out with selfish friends, etc.).

But wait, there's more!

I used to feel stuck, too. I generally enjoyed my life, but there were a few goals I had, tucked away in my heart, that I'd given up on long ago. In truth, I didn't know that those desires deep inside of me were placed there to lead me to pursuing these goals! I didn't know that the life I wanted to live was actually available to me.

But then it happened. I so clearly remember the day God began to show me He was transitioning me out of lesser life, or The Cheap Seats of Life, into Destiny!

I was in my second year of college. The semester had just begun, and we still had 1 week to drop and add classes. I'd never dropped or added anything up until this point, because I felt like I should just keep whatever was on my list. Back then I didn't feel empowered to evaluate the things in my life and make changes when necessary, and it wasn't only my class schedule that suffered. Anyway. I went to this one class where the professor made vulgar jokes in almost every other thing he said! Understandable that the class was about sexuality in the media or something like that, but he was really over the top. I didn't want to spend my afternoons stomaching this stuff.

Then I remembered that I didn't have to! Whoohoo! So I dropped it. Bam!

This began a long and wonderful trajectory of encouraging me to evaluate my life. Why did I live in that city, spend time with those friends, where those clothes, and accept that job? 

Actually, let's back up. If I am to answer those questions, I need to first answer these: What kind of city, friends, clothes, and job suit me?

So, let's back up again. It's like the movie Memento. 😃 Anyway, if I must answer the previous question, I first need to know myself! How else will I know what suits me if I don't know what type of person I am? I mean, if I am an adventurous nature lover, I probably don't need to live in a city without access to campgrounds and hiking trails. And if I love the arts, surrounding myself with people who have no interest in accompanying me to plays and ballets doesn't fit me.

And one last time, let's hit reverse. We may know what interests us, but it's important to distinguish between surface interests and the deep dreams of our hearts. Some interests are there because we've been told what to want, and others are there because God put them inside us. It's like watching a pizza commercial and suddenly wanting pizza. Your body doesn't crave it, and you may not really even be hungry. But now that it's been shown in an enticing light , you want it. Real interests, on the other hand, are the things you have a hard time forgetting. Usually you can find these interests by thinking back to early childhood. How did you like to spend your time? Maybe you loved drawing, or maybe you picked up sports or the arts easily. Perhaps you were a gifted storyteller or an excellent listener (aka future counselor).

So now that you know the real dreams in your heart, you may ask why walking in these dreams even matters. I mean, so what if I wanted to be an artist but chose medicine so I could make more money. I'll tell you why. You know how each person in the world has a unique fingerprint? You also have a unique purpose. You bring to the world an aspect of God that no other person has. There may be millions of dentists in the world, but none like you. You may have a calming effect that the fearful and abused little boy needs when he goes to the dentist, and your gentleness may be the prescription for his stepping from fear into living a courageous life!

So be who you are. Look at your life and evaluate it. Start by asking God why He made you. Think back to childhood and recall the things you always wanted. Then begin to dream of what your life could look like, and ask God to open doors for you. Then, brace yourself for some miracles!

**If you enjoyed this post and would like to go deeper into this topic, check out The Purpose Driven Life. A good read. 😃