When we worry we hurry. We want to make our future happen. So we recognize frustration at a job, tension in a relationship, sense of dryness in a spiritual life, boredom in a season as possible signposts to exit off our trajectory and head down a different one.
If if you haven't checked out part 1 of this post check it out here...
http://www.alanpastian.com/journal/2017/7/21/new-post-for-today
We have been talking on the home base about finding and not missing out on God's future for you. If you haven't read part 1 you can read it here...
When we worry we hurry. We want to make our future happen. So we recognize frustration and a job, tension in a relationship, sense of dryness in a spiritual life, boredom in a seasonas possible signposts to exit off our trajectory and head down a different one. Until one day we realize we have got to a place, a future we don't like or that was never meant for us. A false future.
How to move forward into the future you've always wanted:
Discover what refuels you and fuel up often
Some things give you energy in life, some things drain you. Figure out what refuels you. Most likely it's not going to be what you think. Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is watch a movie, go to a baseball game, hit up a new restaurant with friends, finally get that redox you've been wanting, take a nap, etc. What ever fills your tank... do more of it.
Make your character a priority
Character sustains what God is building around you. Your skills, talents and personality will take you only as far as your character can sustain you. Choose to do the right thing no matter what...you won't regret it.
Don’t live in the valley of indecision
Living with regrets comes from bad decisions or in decision. Bad decisions are easy to spot because you usually recognize them after you've made them. Indecision is harder to see. Because deciding not to decide is still a decision. This avoids living a life with regrets because you "wish you could have done something." Make the best decision you can with the information you have, then pursue it with everything you’ve got from a posture of humility.
“Let your emotions catch up with your obedience because you don’t always have to “feel it” but you should always obey it.”
Book appointments with God and don’t break them
Your calendar will naturally fill up with urgent things other people believe are important. And you will watch a decade or more pass by without doing anything really significant. Anything done without God isn’t fruitful.
I put appointments in my calendar that I don’t move so I keep that time with God and I don’t break them. I use that time to seek God, pray, have my blank journal page and write down the vision, plans and purposes God has for me. Then when someone asks you if you’re busy, you can truthfully say “I’d love to help, but I have a commitment with someone and I just can’t break it.”
Forgive again and again and again....
Forgive and trust again. Don’t let what someone else did sabotage your future. Let’ your future thrive because you chose to forgive, and move on. The second you stop trusting people you start living a life of isolation. And a life of isolation is a life without impact. Not to mention…you’ll be awfully lonely.
Deal with your issues now
It’s easy to blame others for what’s happened to your life. And I hate to say it, but the common factor to the issues in your life is mostly going to be you. So deal with you. You have issues. Everyone does. You may not be able to change the other person but you can absolutely change YOU and how YOU respond to a person or situation. Give people permission to call out your "stuff." Go have some serious conversations with those that you trust. Do what it takes to deal with your junk. You'll hi-five your future self!
Anything else you would suggest?