I love routine. I like knowing this is exactly what I have to do, when I have to do it, and what it is going to produce as a result. The thing about routine is that it is mindless. We just get into a rut and stay there because it is easier to just continue down the beaten path rather than creating your own.
I believe that a lot of times we get use to doing life out of memory that we fail to imagine all that God has and wants for us. We get so consumed with doing the ordinary that we don’t even think about, dream about or pursue the extraordinary that God wants for our life.
I know that for me I found myself in this place back in December of 2007. I had an amazing job as an associate pastor at Bayside Community Church and I was doing what I was naturally gifted at doing. From the outside looking in, you would think that I had the perfect job and life. On the inside though, I was bored and just going through the routine to accomplish the task of my work. During this time in December, I did something different. I decided that it was time to break free from the routine and start to imagine what life would look like if I were to change the routine. Before I knew it God was rocking my world with Matthew 6:33
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.”
Seeking first required me to get out of my comfort zone, the routine in life, and imagine what was the heart of God for my life. The question
“Does what breaks the heart of God break your heart?”
kept creeping in my life. I wanted to be broken for the lost, hurting, uncommitted, undecided and unchurched people. I knew that I had to change the routine and imagine life being different and challenging. So here I am today leaving everything I know, all the relationships, family, memories and successes to launch out to imagine what Ft. Lauderdale would look like if there was a place where individuals could experience a group of people dedicated to God and each other who serve and love their community.
What routine do you need to shake up in your life?
What have you imagined and just said that is to hard and just gone back to the routine?
Does what breaks the heart of God break your heart? What are you doing about it?
When you and I have a growing and intimate relationship with God, then and only then will we be secure enough in His love to not fear. In fact you will be so secure in His love that you will embrace and look for change. God wants us in a constant state of moving forward and changing so we are secure in our relationship with Him. This is so challenging for me because more than anything I life the safe and secure way that I have always done things in life. The thing that I have found though is that when I do the safe and secure, I NEVER GROW! God wants us to continually be changing so we can continually be growing in Him.