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Oct 08, 2023 06:00am

In Over My Head

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I took a new job about 10 months ago. Didn’t need it. Wasn’t looking for one. But here I am. And I like it. It’s a great job and one my community depends on. But it is also ridiculously challenging. I’ve been an entrepreneur for 17 years and in ministry for even longer and I thought those were hard, but no.

This, this is different. Hard to explain. There was no training, no mentor and no transition period. Just a faith-filled leap into the deep. It has felt a bit more like a rescue mission than a new job and is requiring more of me than I really have to give. Most days I’m just hoping I don’t drown. The position is unfamiliar territory. I don’t have all the answers, in fact I’d say on most days I don’t have any of the answers. The constant research and discovery of so many new things has been simultaneously intriguing and exhausting. I’ve had to meet literally hundreds of new people and solve problems I didn’t even know existed. I feel like my brain is spinning and being stretched every single day.

It’s accurate to say, I’m in way over my head.

So you might wonder, then why? Why did you take the job? Why don’t you just quit or do something different?

Those are fair questions, but wrong questions.

The right questions are: what does God want? Would he put you in this position even though it feels uncomfortable and overwhelming? Is this the work God has for you to do in this season?

Yes, yes I believe so and here’s why…

When we live safe, comfortable, non-stretched lives we have no urgency, no desperation, no positive stress driving us to our knees and reminding us how weak and how needy we are for a God who can help. I am in a place now where God has reminded me of exactly who I am and more importantly, who He is. He is deepening my understanding of what He means when He says He alone is in control. He alone can move the hearts of people. He alone can provide what I need, who I need when and where I need them. He is reminding me that He is in the details of my day. He has plans for His people. He places us where He wants us for His purposes and designs us for specific seasons and tasks that matter TO HIM.

I wish you could sit where I’m sitting right now and see the view, because the hand of God is so strong. While I am being humbled and broken down and stripped, again, of my pride and forced to see how little I know and how vulnerable and insecure I still am, God is busy showing up. And day by day my heart is getting to experience the absolute thrill of watching Him do His thing. More and more I am seeing the difference between depending on God in word and depending on God in full.

He is trustworthy, my friend. He is a faithful God. He does not call you to a position or place you in a job and then expect you to “figure it out.” He goes with you! If you ask Him, He will go before you. He will give you favor with people. He will give you wisdom beyond your experience and expertise. He will provide the creativity, resources and the right timing. And ultimately, it won’t be the task or the job or the position filling your soul, it will be Him.

Proverbs 16:9 says, “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.”

Proverbs 16:3, “Commit your work to the LORD and your plans will be established.”

Work can be tough. We may face hard situations everyday with difficult people at times. Problems which seem unsolvable and a to do list that seems unending can threaten our joy and make us want to give up.

Instead, if you can relate, give it to God.

Run to Him.
Invite Him into your day, your meetings, your conversations and your mind.
Ask Him for what you need today and for what you cannot figure out.
Be fully dependent on him for your success and desire above all else to do His will.
Remember to pray, “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” He wants to bring heaven down, smack dab into the middle of your workplace.

And you are His person. So be His.

And decide now to give Him the glory.

I’m in over my head, 100% for sure. Exactly where He wants me. I’m so desperate for Him and so grateful because it is in this season I get to experience my God in whole new ways.

And you can too.