Called Out

I don't read Steven Furtick's blog often, but I stumbled across this post, Ignoring What They Said, from him today:

Ignoring What They Said

Jesus is in the middle of performing a miracle in Mark 5:36, and some doubters start to voice their cynicism.
To describe Jesus’ reaction, Mark uses a phrase that ministered to me deeply last week:
“Ignoring what they said…”
Then, of course, Jesus goes on to heal the little girl, in spite of the surrounding doubt, teaching us a valuable lesson:
In order to witness the miraculous, sometimes you’ll have to ignore what they said.

Maybe some people are perpetually misjudging your motives, and nothing you say seems to sway their verdict.
Ignore what they said.

Perhaps someone in your past filled your head with insecurity about who you could never be, and what you could never do. (Several people told me adamantly I’d fail as a church planter.)
Ignore what they said.

Sometimes the voice of doubt is internal-and we struggle to tune out the static of condemnation, faithlessness, and worst case scenarios.
Ignore what they said.

If any voice is raising itself in contradiction to the will and Word of God concerning you, be like Jesus.
Practice selective hearing.
Ignore what they said.

That resonates with me and my life. I don't want to be ignorant, but, sometimes, I just need to ignore what they said. Instead, I want to listen to what God says. After all, it's His opinion that really matters . . .

Against insurmountable obstacles and without a clue as to the outcome, the trusting heart says, 'Abba, I surrender my will and my life to you without reservation and with boundless confidence, for you are my loving father.'
-- Brennen Manning --

Where are you at in trusting God these days?

This has been a huge area of growth for me over the past few months and weeks. I am at a place in my life where I long to put my full trust in the Creator of the Universe. I believe that in His hands is the best place for my life to be. I want to hold nothing back, keep nothing in reserve.

God has given me a dream and a passion to help people find their way back to Him. Honestly, the dream is much too big for me to be able to accomplish or attain on my own. After all, only God can redeem and restore that which is broken. That being said, I believe He wants to use people like you and I in the process. If . . . we are willing to surrender our lives, place them in His loving hands, and trust Him.

As I pray about what God is doing at Indian Creek Community Church as we become one church that meets in multiple locations, I believe that God is calling each of us into this type of trust and surrender in Him. Gary wrote a bit about this on his blog while in China a few days back.

At Indian Creek, we are firmly in the Cycle of Faith. Where are you in the process? Have you caught a fresh vision? Have you bumped up against reality? Have you consecrated yourself? Are you living in provision?

Where are you?

We're addicted to safety aren't we? For some reason, our default setting, as people, is to gravitate toward the predictable, the risk-free, and the secure. But, why?

What do we have to lose? Money? Status? Power?

I think the missing consideration for most of us is what are we putting at risk by choosing the safe path?

Is it possible that the most exciting, most fulfilling, most meaningful moments in our lives will only happen if we actually risk the things that we so often strive to protect?

These days, I'm seeking to seize the moments that God puts in front of me. I want to be available for the divine to unfold from what appears to be mundane. However, to do that, I have to be available. I have to be ready to take a chance. If I hold everything back, if I keep things risk-free, it is unlikely that I will ever experience the full life that God has for you and me.

So, here I go again. Hands and heart open, ready to seize the moments that cross my paths.

Will you join me in the adventure?