Let God Mess You Up!

Have you ever had your life wrecked? You were going along fine then the something happened that you weren't expecting and it caused a big "crash." The one thing I know about getting wrecked is that it comes when you least expect it and you have to make a life-altering decision. And this is important because "our lives will be the sum total of our decisions" (Andy Stanley). It happened to me when I was in college.


"Our lives will be the sum total of our decisions." - Andy Stanley (Click Here to Tweet)

I was attending a conference hosted by Campus Crusade for Christ. I don't remember a lot of details about the conference. I could not tell you who the musical artist was or who any of the speakers were. What I do remember is that during a break, I had a very significant conversation with God. Not an audible conversation, but a moment where it seemed there was no one in the auditorium but the two of us although we were surrounded by hundreds of college students. 

The conversation went something like this:

God: So, what are you planning to do with your life?

Me: Oh, you know Lord, I'm going to be a teacher.

God: Ah...so you have it all figured out?

Me: Sure! Remember, we worked this all out a few years ago. (That's another story...)

God: How about this...how about you letting me take it from here?

Me: (long silence) Uh...what do you have in mind?

God: This can't be a negotiation. I need to know that you will trust me with the results. I need to know you are ready for whatever I have in store.

Me: "Whatever?"

God: Whatever...

Me: (another long silence) But "whatever" is whatever...right?

God: (no response)

Me: Right? (I knew the answer. I was just stalling.)

Silence is golden…not really

I sat there in silence and began to consider what I was being asked to do. I was being asked to commit to "whatever" to the creator of "whatever." If I consented, then I would be committing to whatever He had in store. That could be teaching in some remote town in the US or a remote village in Africa. "Whatever" meant whatever.

Me: OK...I'm in! (Whew!) Now what?

God: I'll take care of that, you just stay the course and stay close.

Then and Now

Then, I was preparing to be a math teacher. Today, I strive to help people connect with God and leverage their lives for His glory. Along the way, I’ve had the opportunity to travel to various parts of the world and the US teaching a different curriculum, the Bible. I’ve been able to watch people use their lives to help others understand a bigger plan that God has for them and His desire for a relationship with Him.

Getting wrecked is part of the process of aligning our lives with God’s plan. It's not fun, but when we go through the experience, we discover a plan that is a lot different than the one we have mapped out in our mind. When we are called upon to accept His plan there will be many logical arguments as to why we need to resist. Don't resist, just relax and say "Whatever" and watch Him do what only He can do. Don’t worry about the destination, appreciate the journey.

** This post was prompted by a book I'm previewing by Jeff Goins. The title of the book is Wrecked: When a broken world slams into your comfortable life. You can learn more about the book here.