I was listening to a sermon not too long ago that was all about change. My first thoughts were another sermon about change, I have plenty of pages in my journal taken up by the topic of change. However, as it continued I became captivated at the direction the sermon started going. For some reason, I couldn’t get distracted even if I wanted to and I couldn’t seem to stop writing. What grabbed me was this: genuine change can only come from God and it starts with genuine confession. What?! Out of all the sermons, talks, and seminars I’ve heard about change this one pounded at my heart. Was it God trying to tell me something? I’m not sure but I do know that I’ve never seen change approached that way. For some reason it made sense to me for a second. I have to genuinely confess to my God and He will make a genuine change inside my heart. Little did I know, that one line of a 40 minute sermon was the start to a new beginning.
I always talk about wanting God to be in complete control of my life. Because everything goes better right? There is nothing better than knowing that you have given up all control and let God be the driver of your life. But is it really always that easy to just let go and let God? The answer for me is NO! It’s easy to talk about but action is so much harder. I am a little bit of a control freak, ok maybe a big control freak, I like knowing what I’m doing and how I’m going to do it and when I’m going to do it. But as I have learned there is no such thing as controlling God. It’s not 50/50 or 70/30 or even 90/10 its 100 to nothing. God being in full complete control and me having absolutely none. For someone like me that was extremely hard to comprehend. Its scary to just give up control, but its a step out in faith.
A recent time in my life of having to give up control was just 3 weeks ago as I prepared for my 8 day trip to Belize. Leading up to this trip I was in constant prayer asking God to move in my life. This was the time where that idea of genuine confession was louder than ever in my head. If I’m not willing to let go, then God can’t move in bigger ways. I had to admit that I like being in control and I was scared to let Jesus be everything. Kind of a hard confession to make to the One who gave up everything for me.
But that’s the coolest part about God, He has so much grace and mercy that He is there waiting for me. So as I sat in prayer and preparation for Belize, I also confessed to Him all my worries, doubts, and probably the biggest thing that has prevented my world from being rocked by Him: control. Like I said, not easy but extremely worth it. For the first time in my life I had made a real genuine confession to Jesus and what happened from that confession was real change. Genuine change.
Through my 8 days in Belize God was moving in my life in bigger ways than I could imagine. Something happened in my life that is hard to put into words but the way I felt three weeks ago compared to the way I feel and live today is completely different. I’m excited in the ways that God is moving in my life and the bigger calling that is now infront of me. God has given me new lenses to life. The way I view my job, school, relationships, ministry, just life as a whole looks different. Learning how to live life looking through these new lenses is exciting; partly because the biggest difference today is I see Jesus in everything that I do.
Stepping out in faith can be scary, but it can also rock your world. I’m thankful for that sermon about change because it taught me to take that step in faith and lay everything before God in genuine confession. After all doesn’t Jesus already know everything about my life? Well of course He does, but recognizing that I need to confess to Him and lay it all before Him allows Him to move in big big ways.
Through this new beginning of my life I’m excited to look forward at the calling Jesus is preparing for me. What does that look like? I’m not fully sure, but I do know that He is calling me to create a united generation in His name to the ends of the earth. Maybe that’s going back to Belize… 🙂
Thinking about a world that stands United on His name gets me fired up in so many ways. And going out to proclaim that is what I’m called to do. Now its taking that next step in faith. Because as I’ve already learned, stepping out in faith is scary, but fun too because you never know how Jesus will rock your world.
I hope you all are excited like I am for this next step in life (more on the specifics are coming soon :)) and I ask that you continue to pray with me and for me. Here’s to many more new beginnings. I love you all.
Sean
United. 