Forward Motion

There’s something wrong with the heater in my car. When I turn it on and just idle, it doesn’t heat. But when I start driving, it gets warm. If I stop too long at a light, it cools down again, but once I start moving forward, the heat is on.

I don’t know much about cars and have no clue as to how to fix it. But it’s got me thinking about my life.

I’ve heard it said that as a Christian you’re always either moving forwards or falling backwards. There is no such thing as a status quo. If someone asks you how you’re doing in your walk with the Lord, and your answer is: “same as last year”, you’re wrong. You’re likely colder, further, drier than you’ve ever been.

Standing still kills the heat. Forward motion creates friction and heat.

It’s true. If you’re wondering why you’ve gotten lukewarm in your life, why you don’t seem to be on fire for God anymore, you’ve gotta wonder whether you just have been idling in one place for too long.

Are you stuck in a spot that you can’t seem to get out of? I find people get stuck in the following areas:

1. Unanswered prayers

2. Unchangeable circumstances

3. Unfulfilled expectations

You want something from God and He hasn’t delivered. So you’re stuck in one place and eventually the heat cools. And cools. And cools.

Isn’t time to start moving forward again?

There’s a struggle that goes on between the Christian and God on a daily basis: will it be my way or God’s way? Will God do what I want Him to do, or will I break under His will?

But, but, but, but….You don’t understand. I have needs. I have desires, and He said He’d fulfill them. It’s not working out like I thought it was going to. I thought He promised to answer my prayers. I thought He wanted me to be happy. I thought my life would work out like I wanted it to.

I thought He would be my genie in a bottle.

One of the hardest lessons I’ve learned in my walk with Christ is that life isn’t about me and my needs. My pastor says it this way: God’s love is not a pampering love, it’s a perfecting love.

God knows exactly what I need. He meant what He said in Jeremiah 29:11. He has plans for my wholeness, to give me a future and a hope. But in order to get it, I’ve got to do things His way. And it starts by moving forward.

Heat is created with forward motion.

It’s time for you and I to get out of the pit of self pity and self focus and hang on to the truth of God’s love and plan for our lives.

That dream you’re still nurturing is not the answer to your happiness.

That situation you hope will change will not satisfy your longings.

That prayer request you’ve stopped mentioning to God is not the key to your fulfillment.

Jesus Christ is.

You want heat in your life? You want that fervent love for Christ you once had to return?

Stop idling in one place and take the next step forward.

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