The Gift of the Obstacle

Apr 7, 2020Personal Transformation

How are you handling the current coronavirus situation?

I hear stories of people who are struggling, and I listen to stories of people who are making the best of the current environment.

I have been thinking a lot about this current situation and keep coming back to the greatest lesson I’ve learned during my life.

Every conflict, every obstacle provides us with a gift if we are willing to accept it.

This is one of those times.

Do you see it as such?

Do you recognize the gift and the opportunity that lies ahead of you?

In times like these, it’s easy to let the darkness take over.

Depression and fear are everywhere.

I believe we have an opportunity to sieze greatness.

This is our chance to create the transformation we want to see in our world, but we can’t do that if we are cowering in the corner.

In Ephesians 2:10, the Apostle Paul writes:

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

God has a perfect plan for our life.

God has called each of us to something specific.

Are we listening?

As I was thinking about this, I remembered an experience I had in college where I had to recognize that I was chasing something that was outside of God’s plan for my life.

When I was preparing to go college, I was convinced that my career should be in nuclear engineering.

Looking back, the only reason I chose this major was that it sounded cool, and I thought it would impress anyone who asked.

I was so focused on how I looked to others that I wasn’t considering if this was in line with my calling or potential.

As I sat in my very first nuclear engineering class, I had what I like to call a “Charlie Brown” moment.

Let me explain…

The professor started talking, and this is what I heard, “Wa Wa, Wa Wa Wa Wa, Wa” (If you’ve watched a Charlie Brown special, you know what I mean.)

I looked around the room, and everyone else seemed to understand the lesson.

I couldn’t understand a word!

I immediately realized I had made the wrong choice.

I thought I was supposed to study nuclear engineering.

I thought that was where I would find my calling and my greatness.

Suddenly I realized I was wrong.

What do you do when you find yourself off of your calling?

What do you do when you wake up, and suddenly the world is speaking, but all you hear is, “Wa Wa, Wa Wa Wa Wa, Wa”?

I would have you consider that this moment is yours to seize!

God has created this Forced Sabbath as a gift to allow you to stop and ask questions.

  • God, what is my purpose?
  • What is my family’s purpose?
  • What is the purpose of my marriage?
  • What is my opportunity?
  • What is my calling?

This is our great gift;

Our opportunity to explore this scripture.

We are God’s workmanship.

A beautifully crafted, never before created workmanship.

Created in Christ Jesus to do good works.

God has amazing plans for you.

Plans that God’s prepared in advance.

The challenge comes if you choose not to accept this gift.

If you don’t stop and listen, how will you ever know?

I would encourage you to grab a journal, a bible, and spend some time alone.

Ask God about your greatness.

There may never be another great opportunity to uncover this gift.

The gift to discover your created potential!

Don’t let this moment pass.

Chase down your greatness.