Saturday, October 27, 2012

A mission

A mission. That's what I've been grasping after lately. What is my life mission? I love feeling like I know where I'm going. I'm sure most everyone can relate to this. This desire to have a purpose, an attainable goal to go after where I can let go of selfish desires.

And in all of this searching and praying for what God wants me to do and talking to my parents about it, one thing is becoming very evident: this very act of wanting to die to myself and live for others (less of me more of Him) can turn into thinking more about myself.
And joy flies out the window.

And then I ran across this quote when I logged onto facebook on Monday:

"We are settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves."
~David Platt

Could it be that I could become so focused on trying to get my life right, that I'm not focusing on the One thing in life that matters most: my Savior? Could it be that I am catering my mission to myself? Opportunities to minister are going on right here. There is only one problem, they're not the ones I was hoping for.

I am learning this painful surrender. Laying my dreams at the feet of the One who knows the desires of my heart, better than I even do. Clinging to the One who holds my future. Alas, He knew the end of my life from the beginning of time. He is sovereign. 

Instead of grasping after a my mission, I'm learning to take full grasp of my Savoir, knowing that He is truly faithful through each and every circumstance. Herein lies a worthy, lifelong mission: to glorify Christ in everything. 


"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
~1 Corinthians 10:31

Someday I may end up living the life that I had dreams of, but that is completely up to my Father. Right now I am living my mission, here, where He placed me. Each moment at home is a building block on the foundation for the future that only He knows. And I can rest in Him.

"I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God."  
-Acts 20:24

8 comments:

Amber Lee said...

Ana, I love your heart. Journal these things and watch God take you on an amazing journey (even if you dont journal them, but I just find it fun to go back and read old journal entries). God is good, and your heart and love for Him are pure, He will bless you my friend!

Anonymous said...

This is awesome, Ana!

- Gabriela

Ana R.W. said...

Amber, thank you for your kind and affirming words. God is so good.
Thank you for the reminder to journal! :)

Thank you, Gabriela! :)

<3
Ana

Anonymous said...

Hi just wanted to say that I like your article very much. Please keep up the good posts Thanks a ton! and Have a good day

Stacey Bradshaw said...

Ana, thank you for sharing your heart and these beautiful words of truth with us! This is such an encouragement, and a reminder we all need to hear, especially those of us who may be finding ourselves single and still at home much longer than we anticipated or hoped for. The years are ticking by and our lives may not be playing out as we had planned or dreamed, but God's plan is so much bigger and better than our own! It is so important to live fully where He has us now instead of merely waiting for our dreams to come true. And that may be something that every girl realizes eventually, but to go beyond that and see that focusing too hard on figuring out your "mission" is maintaining too much focus on yourself and not enough on God? Wow, praise God for the insight and maturity He has blessed you with. Thank you again for sharing that with us! I will definitely be sharing this post with many of my friends who I believe will be blessed by its message. I love you, Ana! You are an amazing young woman! :-)

Ana R.W. said...

You're very welcome, Stacey!

I'm encouraged that this was a blessing to you! God is good.

I love you too, Stacey!

~Ana :-)

Anonymous said...

Thank you Ana! I have been thinking about this a lot lately...I was greatly blessed and encouraged! Thank you so much for sharing your heart!

Ana R.W. said...

You're welcome, Isabella! I'm so grateful it was a blessing to you. <3
Keep pressing on!
~Ana