Making His desires mine

Over the last couple of years God has really done some radical refining of my goals and aspirations. It's always cool to see God align my will with His. I'm realizing more and more that this life is for so much more than what seems like the norm for most people I know. I'm realizing that finishing school, getting a job, getting married, settling down, buying a house, having some kids, going to church, raising my kids in the church, having a nice home and a good family, growing older, having a nice savings account, then eventually sending my kids to college, watching them graduate, get a good job, get married, and have kids of their own is all really great. The "American Dream" right? But isn't there more?

The problem is, all those things could be and are possible without Jesus. It would be a good life . . . but why do we so often settle for good when God offers the best?

In my recent reading in some of the Gospels, and also a book called "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan, I am seeing more and more that Jesus didn't call people to add him into their already "good" lives, He called people to leave everything and follow Him and have life now, and have life more abundantly.

So, what does following Him look like? This may seem like a tough question to answer because there are so many ways we can serve Him, or ministries we can be a part of, but I think the answer is really simple. What does following Him look like? Radical. That term has been distorted so much to where it has a negative connotation, when really that's what Jesus was, that's what His disciples were, and that's what His followers need to be.

So, how does one go about being radical . . . I think that's kind of simple, too. (Not that I am any good at it) Love God. And then, Love people. Really. If we really loved God, I mean more than anything else, imagine how radical we would live, and give, and love.

That being said, my desire is to be a part of a generation that is ready to live the way God intends us to, radically in love with Him, radically loving others. A generation burning with the desire to make His Name known. A generation on fire.

This is my desire, although I'm not exactly sure what that means practically or long term yet. But if I did I wouldn't have to trust Him, would I? Currently, however, I believe that means following in obedience to serve Him in Honduras on my Spring break(next week!) and in Thailand this summer. My prayer is to learn to love Him more and make manifest His love to others.

Maybe a last note is the idea of sacrifice. How could we be radical and not give up anything of ourselves. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice and the ultimate radical. It's a sweet surrender when we turn our lives over to the One who wants what is the absolute best for us; new life in Him.

I want be in the generation who no longer settles for mediocre, but seeks His best for my life. I want to be a generation on fire.