“Leaving The Good For The Best”

“Necessity is the mother of invention”. Who said that anyway? I looked it up and discovered that it’s attributed to Plato; Plato was a pretty sharp cookie. I’ve got another phrase that is similar….” Disaster is the mother of prayer”. Who said that? Actually I said that. Let me elaborate.

When we find ourselves in desperate situations, we often tend to cry out to God…”Lord save me, help me, get me out of here”. It can be a flat tire on the freeway, or being down by 29 points in the NBA Finals, or a disappointing job that is dragging you down…doesn’t pay enough and it’s going nowhere fast. Feel free to add your own examples. When we’re in trouble we tend to cry out to God and that’s a good thing. 

But what about when we’re not in a bad situation. What if we’re in a good career, doing well, making enough money…life is good….but, something is missing. I found myself in that kind of situation some 40+ years ago. I had a good job, making good money, opportunities for growth, and yet I felt the Lord tugging on my sleeve. I felt him saying, “I have more for you.” He had given me glimpses of what lay at the end of a successful corporate career. I had given presentations on the 23^rd floor to the president and CEO of Pfizer, I had flown on the G2 (Gulfstream II)…. and it didn’t satisfy. The Lord had earlier gotten my attention. I wanted to give all to love and serve him. I was 39 years old and we were expecting our 7^th child.

“Leaving the good for the better”. You need to hear God clearly and strongly before you move on something like this. I have a good friend who has been in a top international corporate position for a number of years…on the top of his game… truly in the “Big Leagues”. God just called him to leave the “good for the better”. It takes spiritual courage and discernment before you jump off the mountain. Are you going to land on the jagged rocks below or ascend to the next peak?

When you tap into the will of God and you experience the Holy Spirit moving, an excitement comes into your soul. This “Holy Spirit Excitement” is really something… it brings courage and hope and confidence and boldness and joy. I gives you the strength to love beyond what you’ve been able to do before. I gives you capabilities beyond what you thought you had. This capacity to love God and neighbor is exhilarating. Oh the cross is still your companion.. there is sorrow and disappointment and sickness… but knowing God is with you makes all the difference.

So, we need to have our spiritual antennae up because the Lord is always calling us to the next moment. It may not be a dramatic change (it may be), but it’s always calling us upward to the better. In essence, he’s calling us to “sell all for the kingdom of God”. He’s always calling us to sell all for the pearl of great price, the treasure in the field. It often can be daily sacrifices, daily acts of love…even small acts done with great love. (Mother Teresa).

I find that I can tend to give myself a pass at this stage of life. I’m at the end of the road… it’s time to coast into the kingdom… relax Dave, you’ve done your part. Hmmmmm, where’s that voice coming from? My history tells me that when I coast, I coast backward. 

God please send your Holy Spirit to help me to see the “next better thing” you have for me. I know it means “hearing and obeying” the voice of the Lord. I’ll know it when I hear it because it will bring that “Holy Spirit Excitement”….that exhilaration that tells me that the Lord is on the move and he’s taking me with him. May each of you also  have your Holy Spirit  antennae up,  and be ready for an exciting trip with the Lord. And that is very good news…. that is the BEST news.