You Are Here

“Let it be okay to be where you are, needing no more and embracing no less."

Loren Thornburg

As one who is navigationally challenged I appreciate the maps with the big star representing where you are in relation to the map. When I enter a mall the first place I go is straight for this map.  I often wish my life had this same map showing me where I am and how to get where I want to go.  Yet, even if I had this map it’s not what I really need.  Although it’s helpful to know how to get where I want to go and have it seem as easy as a map in the mall, what I really need is to be present where I am.   Life is constantly begging us to look ahead to what’s next and where we need or want to go, but rarely is it enough to look at the map of our life and see the ‘you are here’ mark and let that be okay.  What if it was enough to be where you are without wanting or needing to be somewhere else?  For the truth is: Where you are is enough, no more and no less.  So don’t stop dreaming, don’t stop moving toward your goals, but stop needing to be somewhere else.  You are here...and that’s enough. 

“...What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving.  People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works.  Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions.  Don’t worry about missing out.  You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow.  God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”

Matthew 6:31-34 MSG

Sometimes it’s hard for us to be okay with where our lives have taken us.  We had dreams and visions of it looking a certain way that didn’t happen.  It’s there that we can start blaming God for these things.  It can sound ridiculous in theory, but I have found myself in this spot too.  If He is sovereign and in control is He not at fault for the disappointments and hard spots of my life?  Yet, I find that as soon as I start playing that game I have to also allow Him to be ‘at fault’ for all of the good things as well.  As I start looking at the lists of all the ways He has taken care of me and given me so much it’s hard to stay in that place of blame.  It reminds me that He is bigger than I give Him credit for in my place of blame.  So we don’t have to get worked up about where we are or where we aren’t because He is the God who knows us, sees us and has plans for us.  Get worked up about that.  Become consumed and preoccupied with Him.  As you do you will find He is already meeting you there.  Give your entire attention to where you are and what God is doing there, letting go of needing to be farther along or on a different journey.  Where you are is enough because God is enough for you right here.