Should you stay the course or change the course?

Jan 29, 2015Find joy today

2015 seems to be all about change. And trust. In fact, trust is my word for the year. If it’s yours, please feel free to steal the photo at the top of this post.

To be honest, I’m not so great at trust. (Well, to be even more honest, I’m terrific at trust IF I know what is going on around me, if there is no mystery.) But that wouldn’t really be trust, now would it?

Two Niggling Questions

Here are the questions God keeps throwing my way: Will you stay the course, or will you be willing to change the course?

I really don’t have the answer to those two questions. And I’m not entirely sure what God would have me do. Have you ever felt that way? I also know that no matter what I do, I will (with His strength within me) do it for the sake of His glory. So either way, I’m good.

So why do we fret about staying or changing course?

Because we (ok, maybe just me?) are control-lovers. Oh how we love control. We speculate that we’d be outrageously happy if only we could control:

  • that relationship that’s gone sour
  • that loved one who’s walked away from Jesus
  • the amount of money we made
  • the mounting debt that strangles
  • the sickness we battle (and don’t understand)
  • the circumstances in our job we don’t like
  • our spouse
  • our children
  • our success

But the truth is, we won’t be happy even if everything on that list gets checked off. Jesus can and will be our only source of true contentment and happiness. Everything else is surrender. And the degree to which we relinquish control is the degree we’ll live in contentment.

Which brings me to writing and the original two questions. This year has to be a defining moment in my writing/speaking ministry simply because it cannot go on as it has these past several years. It is simply not sustainable financially.

So either I figure out a secret formula I’ve yet to discover (stay the course) or I pursue something else or a hybrid of writing + _________ (change the course). I would so appreciate your prayers as I listen to God, journal, apply for jobs, count my blessings in my journal, and seek the advice of wise people. I’ll keep you posted.

No matter what happens, I’ll always be writing. I’ll continue to speak as Jesus opens doors. I just don’t know if it will be my actual job.

Q4u: Have you ever changed the course? Or when have you had to stay the course? Any advice for me?

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