Almost two months ago, I remember having a conversation with a sister in my church as we were driving, and the conversation was centered around business. She shared a piece of advice that she received that is still ringing in my heart months later. She was advised that if she doesn’t take a risk, and take a step from her comfort zone, she’ll remain where she is forever. As simple as that advice is, I think it’s powerful. These are words that I had to remind myself today, and as I was cooking and reflecting, I realized that they apply to all facets of life.
What price are you willing to pay to remain where you are?
As a person who decided to forsake all and live my life for Jesus, I’m not a stranger to sacrifice. And in Christ, it’s not a one-time sacrifice; it’s daily, weekly, monthly, yearly. It’s a sacrifice that doesn’t always bring instantaneous rewards. It’s an investment that brings dividends in remarkable ways at times, but also you experience great losses at others; and like any investment, you can’t (should not) pull out when stocks are falling.
I thought to myself today, in light of what has been happening in my life, what price I am willing to pay, for my present and future. In light of the years of life that I’ve had on earth, I asked myself what sort of woman that I want to be, and what price am I willing to pay to embrace and become her.
I came to this question because I was dissatisfied with the decisions of someone; because I realize they’ve paid a high price for the decisions that they are making and chosen to make in passivity. I don’t know if it’s fear, I don’t know what it is.
But in my annoyance, I concluded that this was an opportunity for me to determine my present and my future. I looked at myself and posed the question to myself:
What price are you willing to pay to have the life that you want?
What ought you, or are you willing to disconnect from?
What thoughts and what patterns are you willing to change or turn away from to have the life that you want?
What are you willing to walk away from?
Who are you willing to leave behind?
Who are you willing to take with you?
What are you willing to start, to stop, to continue?
What is it that is an offering at the altar of your destiny that you are willing to put down so you can pick up what God has ordained?
What is it that you want, and what are you willing to lose for it?
There has to be a trade.
I perceive a change is long overdue for myself. I feel the discomfort of my passivity deep in my flesh; it tastes acrid in my mouth. It has not been on purpose, but it’s my responsibility to bear. But the first steps in taking responsibility for myself, is changing. Changing how I’ve been thinking now that I know certain truths; changing how I’ve been committing to personal projects; putting my hand to the plow and choosing to not look back. And how am I doing this? Yes, I have my lists ready, and putting plans in place, but above all of these things, I’m making a choice to trust what God reveals, and to trust that He will order my steps rightly to fulfill my purpose.
But it costs something.
Certainly, I’m not a stranger to sacrifice. I’ve had to make plenty over the years. However, I’ve now entered my years to collect all that God prepared for me that some thought they could withhold. I am going to become the woman that I’ve always needed. I’m going to become the woman that I’ve always wanted. I’m going to become the woman that God has called me to be, nothing missing, and nothing broken.
I came to this question because I was dissatisfied with the decisions of someone; because I realize they’ve paid a high price for the decisions that they are making and chosen to make in passivity. I don’t know if it’s fear, I don’t know what it is.
But in my annoyance, I concluded that this was an opportunity for me to determine my present and my future. I looked at myself and posed the question to myself:
What ought you, or are you willing to disconnect from?
What thoughts and what patterns are you willing to change or turn away from to have the life that you want?
What are you willing to walk away from?
Who are you willing to leave behind?
Who are you willing to take with you?
What are you willing to start, to stop, to continue?
What is it that is an offering at the altar of your destiny that you are willing to put down so you can pick up what God has ordained?
What is it that you want, and what are you willing to lose for it?
Certainly, I’m not a stranger to sacrifice. I’ve had to make plenty over the years. However, I’ve now entered my years to collect all that God prepared for me that some thought they could withhold. I am going to become the woman that I’ve always needed. I’m going to become the woman that I’ve always wanted. I’m going to become the woman that God has called me to be, nothing missing, and nothing broken.
