A View from the Summit

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

I just spent two glorious days at the Global Leadership Summit, soaking up words of encouragement and enlightenment.  For me, the Summit came just at the right time. I feel as though I have been “on” for almost two months. I have come to think of this summer as “the summer of one more thing.” Each time we begin to process one difficult circumstance, another one comes along to knock us off our feet. I have seen God’s hand all along the way, but still, it is exhausting to keep trying to stand when you are repeatedly getting knocked down.

The Summit brought a welcome break from all of that. First of all, I was delighted just to sit beside my husband for a couple of days in a non-stressful situation. As an added bonus, God whispered little messages directly to me many times during the past two days. I could find nuggets of wisdom from each speaker, and that was delightful. Just taking notes and learning things proved very satisfying.

I think my biggest insight came on the second day of the Summit. The Bible verse above struck me in a whole new light, when viewed through the lens of the pain and grief we have been slogging through this summer. One of the speakers (Bill Hybels) framed Ephesians 2:10 by saying, “God will direct you to what you were born to do, your piece in the grander vision.” I began to think about how God had designed me to be where I am right now. I am God’s handiwork. What a blessing it is to know that God carefully crafted me, even down to the part of me that is injured and grieving. He is working on me right now, and He has a plan for the new me He is creating. I am created in Christ Jesus to do good works. I need to remember that I am a creation with a purpose. That purpose is to do good works in Christ’s name and in His power, and to listen to the still, small voice that directs my actions. God prepared good works for me in advance. Not one incident in my life has taken God by surprise. He not only knows how to use the pain in my life to make me into a beautiful creation, He also planned IN ADVANCE to take care of me by using that pain as an impetus for the good works He has always had in mind for me to do.

With a renewed perspective, I started making a list of all the areas God has given me to serve. He designed me:

     

                -To be a wife and helpmate to my husband.

                -To be a mom and prayer warrior for my children.

                -To be a teacher and lover of my precious students.

                -To be an encourager and an advocate for young moms and their families.

                -To be a voice of joy and hope in a world of cynicism and, yes, grief.

The ache is still here, the tears are still flowing, and Les is still gone. Nothing has changed outwardly, and yet I feel comforted. I am resting in the knowledge that nothing I am experiencing in this “summer of one more thing” will go to waste. It will all become a part of the “me” that God will use to serve others, if only I shift my focus to Him. His comfort, His grace, His strength, His wisdom, and His hope have been and will continue to be freely and abundantly supplied to me as I make my way. I can’t (on my own), but I can (when God has control of me).