When I started my job, I came in with a set agenda; to help people. My level of operation or tools to help was to: Inspire, Change, and then Elevate. This was the outcome I wanted for all of my clients. However, the second step wasn’t happening for them. There was no desire to change! So then the word resistance crept into my formula and the questions of: “How do I motivate the unmotivated? How can I do my job effectively if the level of input into a client does not show in their level output they are expected to do? I began to feel frustrated, which then escalated into anger regarding the amount of laziness or lack of appreciation I was seeing. The level of anger I felt reminded me of the story of Moses in Exodus 32, when he saw the people worshiping a golden calf and grew angry and broke the tablets of the commandments. Except my tablets were the tools to help the unemployed to obtain a job.
I didn’t like the shift that was beginning to change within myself, as my passion began to dwindle and my purpose began to be doubted of “Is this really what God had for me to do? Is this my calling?” So… I began to search in the back of the Bible of any resources I could find about the word “encouragement.” I needed encouragement to keep pursuing what God had planned for me so that no matter what the outcome was for my clients, at least they could say that I never gave up on them. I believe the same grace God has given me, was the same grace I needed to pour into them. (I wanted my name to be attached to the definition of “encourage” as Barnabas name was). In light of this, I was to challenge myself for the next 28 days (for the 28 chapters) to take on this word and apply it to not only my life, but so that it would shift my attitude and my atmosphere of those around me. I believe God wanted me to have a bigger take-a-way from Acts then just encouragement.
He wanted me to think bigger because he said His blessings were going to be bigger! With this confirmation in mind, throughout the chapters He began to reveal to me questions like, “Are you waiting on God or are you planning ahead of God?” , “If you were a tree and God was to shake you, what spiritual fruits would come out? ”…Ultimately, God wanted to tap into the root of my shift and to challenge my faith. He wanted to know exactly how much faith did I really have to lean on Him? Not just in one area of my life. We sing songs like “God is leaning in my direction,” but is our faith leaning on Him?
Ask yourself, “Has my heart hardened and/or shifted in any area of my life because I didn’t see the results I wanted fast enough?”
Be prayerful, be patient, and be encouraged . Your shift awaits you.
Starving Christians 