This morning I came across this interview by Ed Stetzer of Jerry Harris, senior pastor of The Crossing. One thing Jerry said near the beginning of the interview hit home with me:
Well, in a lot of ways I think that church growth is kind of like faith. It's like walking through life backwards. You can't see where you're going, but you can see where you've been and where God's been and what He's done. And we do make plans. We actually do make plans, but very little of what we have done ever ended up looking like what it was originally intended to look like.
This is what I was reflecting in yesterday's post (It's October - Let's Launch a Church!) Yes, we make lots of plans - I'm a planner by profession! But often God has a different plan; we just don't know it yet. So we plan and we follow in faith. Sometimes, like right now, I so want to fast forward a few weeks or months and turn the page to see what God will do. Perhaps fortunately, this is not an option for us. God grants us one day at a time and we each have the choice to life this one day fully engaged... or not.
While we cannot look forward, we do have the option to look backward. While we cannot live in the past, we can stop every now and then to see the great things God has already accomplished. I was amazed yesterday morning as I recalled all that God has done in the short life of Church Requel. Frankly I spend so much time in the moment and focused face forward, that taking a moment to look backward is a rarity for me. However, considering all that God has done thus far has given me great hope and anticipation of the great things HE will accomplish going forward.
Some of these great and wonderful things may be the very things I'm planning. They also may be completely different. For example I would never have thought that God would have brought as many young families to our young church. I'm amazed every week when I see so many people less than 3 feet tall!
What is it about the future that has you feeling anxious this day? Take a moment to remember the great things that God has already done in your life. Is there any reason to suppose He won't be there for you in the future? Be flexible in your thinking and in your planning. Give tomorrow your best shot, but leave the details up to Him who writes creation by his very words! Blessings on your day, Mark
