ANOTHER CHANCE TO START OVER
Some people spend a lifetime trying to make those that matter most to them proud. Often times, we compromise our own happiness in order to live up to the expectations of others, not realizing that we each have a different purpose in life to fulfill. In most cases, we find ourselves in a state of unhappiness stemming from the fact that we're not walking in our destiny.
Take me for example. I've always tried to do what I thought others expected of me. In my work life, even though, unlike most, I was fortunate to obtain a career in my of area study, I found myself somewhat miserable in that field. Despite my efforts to be what I would consider an exceptional employee as well as a positive and supportive co-worker, I always seemed to experience resentment from authoritative figures that bewildered my coworkers as much as it did myself.
I constantly prayed to God to remove me from that situation, only to seem stuck with what I thought was no way out. What I didn't realize was that my situation was what was keeping me close to God. I kept an open line of communication with Him as I constantly sought favor and deliverance from such misery. In doing so, I would be reminded of the scripture Jeremiah 29:11, in which God states that He knows the plans that He has for me. I prayed that His plans would manifest immediately. However, it seemed that the more I prayed, the less He heard. I couldn't understand why He would allow me to be stuck in a place that brings such misery for so long. But it's not my timing - it's His. I soon came to discover that no matter how well I did in my area of study, it still wasn't going to be good enough for those who deliberately made work life hard for me. Why? Because that wasn't my purpose. However, it was my path. It wasn't until going through the same tests, just at different intervals in my life, that I had to realize that all of these obstacles were putting me in position to use what God had gifted me with in conjunction with the knowledge that I had acquired through my studies.
I remained in constant prayer and it wasn't long that I realized that I kept being brought back to what brings me joy: CREATIVITY (my God-given gift). I immediately started channeling my frustration towards my craft, only to find that those items that I created that seemed mediocre to me were monumental to others. That's when I knew that I had found my purpose! To see the joy that my gifts brought to others, only encouraged me to delve deeper into my craft seeking different ways to express myself. Needless to say, it's paying off!
Everything that I've experienced in life, whether good or bad, has been a stepping stone to lead to where I am today. Just like in Jeremiah, God doesn't promise deliverance overnight. Instead, He promises that He will be there with us through our trials. It remind me of the song lyrics of the late Mahalia Jackson, "Lord, don't move the mountain. Give me the strength to climb. Lord, don't move my stumbling blocks, but lead me all around". Because of that, I know that it's not always going to be easy; but when I'm not fulfilled or proud of my situation, I can start over, because ultimately His plan is for me to prosper...so I cannot fail. If one knew how many "faith moves" I have made in the past couple of years, and to see how God continues to carry me, there should be no doubt in anyone's mind that you can do it to. Thank God for another chance!