Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14 NIV)
How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
How do you take a journey of 1000 miles? One step at a time.
How do you catch up homework that was due two weeks ago? One piece at a time.
That was the conversation going on in our house last night. This particular child struggles with time management, and his homework load shows that. The rather challenging conversation included his revelation that he felt so overwhelmed it was as if he were paralyzed with no idea where to begin or how to get out of the mess he was in. As we talked him up from the pit of despair, we tried to explain to him that you have to put together a plan and then work the plan – one piece at a time. I’m happy to report that, 24 hours later, he’s caught up a whole paper and a couple of smaller projects that were on the list. He still has a few “miles” to go to finish catching up, but it’s been a productive day.
I spent two hours at the library this afternoon working on my own productive project. I am trying to get two books of devotionals ready to publish. I catalogued over 1200 blog entries, organized them, and have assigned most of them days of the year. I thought my next step would be mostly a “cut and paste” of the text and a few tweaks. After only doing ten entries over a ninety minute period, I realized that this step of the project was much more involved than I thought it would be. Suddenly, I realized I felt overwhelmed like my child had been last night. “There is no way I can finish this in the timeframe I want, AND do what my kids need, AND do my projects at church, AND …..” kept rolling through my mind.
Then I stopped, took a deep breath, and realized that there were big projects in the Bible, too. Moses thought he was just leading the Israelites from Gosham, Egypt to the Promised Land – a trip of eleven days that ended up taking forty years! David collected supplies so Solomon could build God’s Temple – a two-generation project! The prophetic messages about the coming Messiah had to wait 400 years or longer to be fulfilled! With such complex projects – or projects whose timeframes end up being much longer than expected – there can easily be a slide into discouragement and even despair. How will it all get done??
But it does. The Israelites eventually walked every step it took to enter their Promised Land. David and Solomon eventually had all the pieces they needed to finish the Temple. And we eventually saw all of God’s good promises to the world fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. Were any of these projects easy? No. Were they worthwhile? Yes. Did they go as the people expected? Not exactly. Yet, God worked with them in all aspects of it. When you have a Big Project to do, ask and then trust God for the guidance to figure out how to make it happen. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you put together a plan, work the plan, and finish the plan! One step at a time, the goal will be reached.
God,
Thank you for the Big Projects you call us to do. Sometimes when we seem to be wandering our way to our goal – our Promised Land – it may be hard to know where or how to get there and where you are in the process. When we are discouraged help us to remember that you are always with us. Help us to not only sense your leading, but to follow it and to persevere. Help us to complete the things we need to do and to honor you with our efforts, we ask in Jesus’s name, AMEN.
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. (Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV)
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9 NIV)
With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. (2 Thessalonians 1:11 NIV)
God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. (Romans 11:29 NIV)