"Build My Kingdom"

A little over two years ago my job took a significant cut in hours.  At the time I was disappointed, bewildered and sad.  I loved my work and I could not understand why God was directing my life in this way.  I had to make a decision -- I could stay at the job I was, but take a 45% cut in hours, or transfer to another workplace, and take a 15% cut in hours.  At the time, staying put and taking a larger cut seemed like the best option; and I still believe it was.  The months that followed were some of my best employment hours ever spent.  I was paired with a fantastic teacher, a great E.A. partner/colleague in the classroom, and a super group of kids that still fill my heart with warm fuzzy feelings as I reflect back on my time spent with them.

Obviously, God knew what He was doing.

However, I still remember being confused about why I had to work less hours, wondering what I was going to do with all the free time I would now have . . . and in response to my question to God, "What am I going to do now?", He responded with the words:  "Build my Kingdom."  Build your kingdom?  How was I possibly going to do that, and what, exactly did that mean for me?  In a short while it became clear to me that my newly found "free time" was to be spent seeking God, getting to know Him more and listening for His direction as "Build My Kingdom" came more evident.

So, here it is, two years later and I'm still consciously trying to build . . . His Kingdom.  Not mine; although I must admit that distractions in this world have me thinking that I have not yet met the mark.  Obviously.  Actually, for as long as I live, I will be working at building His Kingdom.  What I have realized in the last two years is that building is a process; sometimes a slow one.  And like a lake that is created by one drop of water at a time, God's Kingdom building process can be like that too.  And our efforts and attempts to build the Kingdom may not be obvious or evident to us at the present time--possibly not even in our own lifetime!  But we are called to be faithful, and God will take care of the rest.

Stepping ahead in obedience has changed my life.  Looking back on where God has taken me from in my journey, I see His hand in all of it.  And I look ahead to the future, trying not to worry about all the ifs, ands and buts of my life and the lives of those whom I influence . . . trusting Him to help me build.

"If we really fully belong to God, then we must be at His disposal and we must trust in Him.  We must never be preoccupied with the future.  There is no reason to be.  God is there."
-Mother Teresa-