The Bigger Picture

For the past few months I have been struggling to find motivation for my daily tasks, particularly my school work. I am over half way through my junior year and excited to experience all that God has waiting for me in my life after high school. God called me into ministry when I was thirteen years old, and ever since I have been looking for ways to expand my ministry experience and share the gospel with other people. I am planning on going to a Christian university called Northwest Nazarene University to study ministry and English and then starting a ministry for teen girls through my blogs, Bible studies, books, and retreats. However, this anticipation for my life after high school has made me frustrated and unmotivated with my day-to-day life in the here and now. Sitting in a plastic chair at a small desk staring at White board taking notes or reading through endless amounts of packets and busy work, I had often felt like Rapunzel sitting in a bedroom at the top of her tower looking longingly out her window at the wide open world, wondering “When will my life begin?” Each day I begrudgingly dragged myself out of bed and went to school. I went through my day week by week going from class to class, doing what was asked of me, but my heart wasn’t in it. Why? Because I had failed to see the bigger picture. I didn’t understand how all this homework, worksheets, and tests had anything to do with the rest of my life. I thought they were just a waste of time.

In a Bible study I have been reading by Priscilla Shirer, she brought up this very topic and then led me to a story in 1 Samuel about a young man named David. He was the youngest of many brothers and so when his brothers went off to war to defend Israel, his father put him in charge of looking after their families flocks of sheep. David would one day become a great king of Israel, but he spent many years of his early life sitting in a field in the hot sun day after day watching a bunch of sheep. Now, at first glance, being a shepherd and a king may seem like completely different jobs with nothing at all in common. However, in the book of Psalms it says “(David) shepherded (His people) with a pure heart and guided them with his skillful hands,” ( Psalm 78: 72). In other words, God used David’s time as a shepherd to prepare him for his time as a king. Just like a shepherd has to gently care for and direct his flock, a king must care for and direct his people. In the book of Psalms it also says “you (meaning God) saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed,” (Psalm 139: 16). God had each of our lives planned out before we were even born! He has a plan for each of us. He is using every moment, every day, to prepare us for our future. Even the little things, the things that may seem boring, stressful, or unimportant now, but God is still using them to teach and prepare us for his greater calling and purpose over our lives. In the book of Colossians it says, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people,” (Colossians 3: 23). Whatever stage of life we are in, whatever tasks we are facing in the here and now, we are to do with all our heart and with all our effort to glorify God trusting that he will use it all to teach and prepare us for our future. Cling to his promises and he will not disappoint you.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about The C.A.N Sisters’ Ministry, leave a comment below, check out our website, or email us at cansistersministry@gamil.com.