"I want to change the world."
I have said that phrase a hundred times. I have heard the same sentence spoken by my many of my peers. It's a beautiful quality that wraps around much of my generation of believers: we are dreamers. We have big faith. We aren't afraid to leap. We pray big. We don't settle for ordinary. We want more.
I have always prided myself on this. If you would have asked me what I wanted to do with my life when I was ten, I would have told you I wanted to be a dolphin trainer at Sea World (I told you...dreamer.) In college, I wanted to be an international reporter and speak on behalf of those who are oppressed. As I grew deeper in the Lord, my life dreams shifted. I wanted to spread the Kingdom of God in a mighty way. I wanted to work with orphans, do street ministry, or teach women's bible studies. I just knew I wanted to be used to do big things for God.
God made me a dreamer, and I believe He has placed many others like me in the body of Christ. Over the last two months, I sought, cried, read the bible and prayed over my next step in life. Under the microscope of scripture and through the Holy Spirit, my eyes were opened to the sin that sat in the depths of my heart. I wrote this to encourage others to press on with a pure heart.
To the World Changers: the dreamers, the goal-setters, the ones who desire the Lord and aren't afraid to leap in faith, the ones eager to help in a mighty way...
Many believe we cannot do what we say we will do. They say we are dreamers instead of doers. They do not find our faith authentic. They say we are swayed by emotions. I cannot say they are fully wrong. While our generation of Christians has a gigantic amount of faith, there are areas where I believe we are compromised in carrying out our callings.
Please know that I write this with deep sincerity and conviction, knowing that I struggle daily with the very things I am about to write. This finger is pointed at me. Not everyone reading this struggles with each of these, so I ask that as you read, you examine your own life and answer these questions...the very questions I have been asking myself in recent weeks in the process of purifying my heart before the Lord.
5 questions for a Christ-following World-Changer:
God made me a dreamer, and I believe He has placed many others like me in the body of Christ. Over the last two months, I sought, cried, read the bible and prayed over my next step in life. Under the microscope of scripture and through the Holy Spirit, my eyes were opened to the sin that sat in the depths of my heart. I wrote this to encourage others to press on with a pure heart.
To the World Changers: the dreamers, the goal-setters, the ones who desire the Lord and aren't afraid to leap in faith, the ones eager to help in a mighty way...
Many believe we cannot do what we say we will do. They say we are dreamers instead of doers. They do not find our faith authentic. They say we are swayed by emotions. I cannot say they are fully wrong. While our generation of Christians has a gigantic amount of faith, there are areas where I believe we are compromised in carrying out our callings.
Please know that I write this with deep sincerity and conviction, knowing that I struggle daily with the very things I am about to write. This finger is pointed at me. Not everyone reading this struggles with each of these, so I ask that as you read, you examine your own life and answer these questions...the very questions I have been asking myself in recent weeks in the process of purifying my heart before the Lord.
5 questions for a Christ-following World-Changer:
1. Do you want to get the glory?
I truly wanted to change the world, and still do. Having big ambitions and big faith is a glorious combination, and the Lord is looking for willing souls to carry out His work.
But after looking at my goals (I want to change the world. I want to do big things. I want to reach and help people, I want to travel and see everything), there were too many I's in the list. Where was Jesus?
Of course, we want Jesus to work through us to change the world, but we often want to be noticed while doing it. We want to be admired and be known. We want to be praised for praising God. We steal God's glory when we rejoice in ourselves for His work. This is called pride, and it is a sin. James 1:15 says if sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. You see, pride and selfishness are most dangerous when we are completely unaware that it is lurking in our spirit. Even in the most holy intentions, pride can swallow up our hearts.
We all know people with great wealth, beauty, fame, humor, talent, etc... Our encounters with them may leave us wanting to be around them or even wanting to become them. But do you know people who love God and love others so much that they hardly think of themselves? They take every ounce of glory and reflect it back to their Maker. You may not remember their names, but you leave their presence desiring more of God, not of them. These are the people who reflect the humility of Christ.
We should feed the hungry, care for the orphans, break the chains of injustice, help the helpless, and share Jesus with others with this same humility. I don't think I need to dedicate a whole point to get you to have a heart for the least of these. If you are a World Changer, you are most likely passionate about the lost and broken. But remember, we do what we do because God told us to, not to get praise from others or prove something to ourselves. When we become a Christian, everything we do should point right back to Him.
"For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory. All glory to Him forever! Amen." Romans 11:36
2. Do you want to lead without serving?
I told you earlier about how big my dreams were. Then I became a mom. My days are filled with cleaning, folding clothes, cooking, grocery shopping, and taking care of two beautiful babies. It is mundane. It is scheduled. My time with other people is severely limited. And for a long time, I could not find contentment in it. It did not feel like I was doing enough in terms of ministry. Then God pulled something ugly out of the deepest human part of me: I thought my dreams were "too big" to be at home changing diapers all day. Even as I type that, I cringe.
This isn't about just moms. It's a problem that stretches across the spectrum, especially with World Changers: We believe we are too good for the "small stuff." We want to lead, teach, and see miracles. We want BIG tasks, but are we content in the small? Do we applaud and rejoice with those who are successful for the Lord? Are we jealous when our brothers and sisters hear from the Lord as we sit in a dry desert? We talk and dream and do, but do we tell the lady behind the checkout counter about Jesus? We will jump on a plane and travel the globe to feed the hungry, but do we give time or money in our own cities? We attend bible studies and worship and prayer meetings, but do we get on our face before God and pray for others instead of ourselves? We have given our lives to Christ, but do we constantly criticize the church, His bride? We will give up homes and security to live for God, but are we using our gifts and talents in everyday circumstances? We want to live out a big calling, but do we find value in the preparation steps? We want to be on the stage, but will we joyfully serve in the background? Do we want to lead without serving?
I told you earlier about how big my dreams were. Then I became a mom. My days are filled with cleaning, folding clothes, cooking, grocery shopping, and taking care of two beautiful babies. It is mundane. It is scheduled. My time with other people is severely limited. And for a long time, I could not find contentment in it. It did not feel like I was doing enough in terms of ministry. Then God pulled something ugly out of the deepest human part of me: I thought my dreams were "too big" to be at home changing diapers all day. Even as I type that, I cringe.
This isn't about just moms. It's a problem that stretches across the spectrum, especially with World Changers: We believe we are too good for the "small stuff." We want to lead, teach, and see miracles. We want BIG tasks, but are we content in the small? Do we applaud and rejoice with those who are successful for the Lord? Are we jealous when our brothers and sisters hear from the Lord as we sit in a dry desert? We talk and dream and do, but do we tell the lady behind the checkout counter about Jesus? We will jump on a plane and travel the globe to feed the hungry, but do we give time or money in our own cities? We attend bible studies and worship and prayer meetings, but do we get on our face before God and pray for others instead of ourselves? We have given our lives to Christ, but do we constantly criticize the church, His bride? We will give up homes and security to live for God, but are we using our gifts and talents in everyday circumstances? We want to live out a big calling, but do we find value in the preparation steps? We want to be on the stage, but will we joyfully serve in the background? Do we want to lead without serving?
We say we want to be like Jesus. He was a world-changer. He was different. He didn't fit the mold. We envision Him healing, raising the dead, casting out demons, doing miracles, and teaching thousands. He did all these things, but He also did what we may consider "small" acts of service. He took time to talk to a Samaritan woman at the well. He had no home. He spoke to the most selfish people. In the midst of mourning the beheading of his friend, John, the crowds followed Jesus and He continued to serve them. He taught to large crowds who openly rejected His teachings and discipled a small group who never truly understood what He was talking about before He was crucified. He spent forty days fasting and being tempted before He started His public ministry. He was a leader who washed the feet of His followers, even the one who would betray Him. He is described as a "Man of sorrows." As He suffered the greatest pain imaginable, Jesus loved, had mercy, and prayed for those who were killing Him. His humble acts of service changed history.
Jesus tells us that the first will be last, the least will be greatest, and the leaders will be servants. That is the kind of humility that will change the world. Are we willing to bear it?
3. Are you physically and spiritually disciplined?
Mark 10: 43-45 says, "Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Jesus tells us that the first will be last, the least will be greatest, and the leaders will be servants. That is the kind of humility that will change the world. Are we willing to bear it?
Do you control the desires of your flesh, or do they control you? Jesus said the spirit is willing, but the body is weak. Are we willing to give up media, sleep, our time, or food to pray? Are we watching or soaking in things that mock our Savior? Are we spending more time on our phones than having flesh and blood conversations with people? (I just stepped on my own toes!) What about waking up early to get in the Word? Are we so broken over the world, that we are able to deny our wants and give our time, effort, and money to others? If we have radical goals, shouldn't we live radically?
Training our hearts and minds comes through prayer, worship, and reading the Bible. Though it sounds like a child's Sunday school answer, these are basic and essential to our faith! Jesus taught us how to pray, because it is our communication with God. Prayer allows us to access the power of God, to praise God, to ask forgiveness, and to ask for things in the name of Jesus. I truly believe without prayer, we cannot bear fruit in the Kingdom of Heaven.
When it comes to scripture, there is a battle going on around you right now, and the Word of God is your sword (Ephesians 6:11). It is our offense in the armor of Christ, a weapon used to fight against the spiritual powers of this world. Jesus used this sword when he quoted scripture against Satan's temptations in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11). The Word of God also answers our deepest questions, brings conviction, and reveals God's character. To change the world for God, we must be like Him, and how can we be like Him if we do not know Him?
I am not saying the more you pray and read and your Bible, the more God will love you...that is called self-righteousness, and it is not the gospel. What I am saying is communion with God comes from spending time with Him. When we walk with Him daily, our desires will change to look like His, and we can know His will more easily.
The apostle Paul says we are running a race. Therefore we must run with purpose in every step.
"...Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever." 1 Corinthians 9:24,25
Every day, we must fix our eyes on Christ, take every thought captive, and carry our cross. We have a race to run...a purpose to fill. Let's be disciplined in our race.
4. Are you embracing this season?
World Changers have lot of ambition, but many times we run in circles with no direction. There is so much passion, energy, and zeal that we are always looking for the next exciting thing. We have ideas and visions constantly. We want to accomplish everything, which often leads to accomplishing nothing.
I can't tell you how many times I tried to lead a bible study as a new mom and failed. I was trying to do what I once did, only to crash and burn. I now realize that it was my season to learn how to be a mother. Once I embraced and dug into the soil I was in, I started bearing fruit. He presented opportunities to share the gospel, and showed me how much it pleases Him to be a mother to these babies. And guess what? I have learned what it is to serve others through it. We must embrace the season we are in, whether it is a time for planting or harvest, a time for preparation or doing, a time for teaching or being taught.
If the Lord places a special call on your life, it does not mean it will be instantaneous. Moses, Abraham, and David had to wait patiently on the God's timing, even after He promised them leadership, descendants, and a vast kingdom respectively. Be patient. With every step, God is pruning and preparing us for the next one. Even Jesus waited for the right time to start His public ministry. We should trust God's timing, too.
"Let us not become weary in doing good. For at the proper time, you will reap a harvest if you do not give up." Galatians 6:9
5. Are you abiding in God?
If you answer 'yes' to this.... if you truly allow God to saturate every part of your life, the preceding questions will not be an issue.
We do not have to come up with some elaborate scheme or say the right thing or feed so many people or travel to so many countries to advance God's Kingdom. Look at these verses:
"For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." Philippians 2:13
"Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." John 15:4
We make it far too complicated. God will work in us and through us if we simply remain in Him. We are His vessels, and if we are in communion with God, He is faithful to carry out His work in us. Isn't this freeing? Just abide in Him.
World Changers, I want to encourage you to keep dreaming big. God gave us these ideas for a reason. When we are on fire for the Lord, we cannot help but have an exploding desire to do great things for Him. Use your talents, passions, gifts, and dreams and point it back to Him! Be dreamers AND doers. Rejoice in the small tasks, find humility in serving others, abide in God and do everything for His glory and in His timing. Embrace your season and circumstances. Live intentionally. Take leaps of faith. Have the guts to love Jesus and love others in a world that rejects Him.
Reader, not all Christians are "dreamers." There are different parts of the body of Christ. But if you love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, whether you know it or not, You Are A World Changer. By carrying the grace of Jesus on your lips and being set apart from the world, you have the power of God on your side that can make an impact to those around you.
World Changers, this hurting and dying world needs to be changed. It needs the love of Jesus. Therefore, in the likeness of Him, by all means...let us CHANGE THE WORLD.
