THE PAIN AND DISSATISFACTION YOU ARE EXPERIENCING are because God is wanting to move you from the job or business you're currently in, into something you are designed to do – not just something you can do, or something that simply pays the bills.
God created you with a purpose in mind.
In my 20's and 30's I worked with my dad. It was good, I paid my bills, learned and developed new skills, explored my gifts, and pursued my interests and passions. I actually became really good at what I did and had a great reputation in my field.
Over time I became a partner, but began to have different ideas and dreams about my future, and what I could do both for a career and for the Lord. When I reached the end of my 30's, that's when I really started to struggle. There was an increasing chasm between the passions and dreams of my heart and what I did day to day for work.
I needed to do what I was made for, but I didn't know how to tell my dad I was quitting our business. AND I needed time to explore and develop before I could step into something new.
At the recommendation of my wife, and a coach, I tried pushing on a few doors, looking for opportunities to do something I thought I wanted to do, but either they didn't open or I found it wasn't what I really what I was looking for. The pain of the time passing kept increasing, and I was starting to lose hope.
I had words from the Lord, promises about my future, glimpses into what my future would look like and how it would affect the lives of others. It was never just about an income for me. I wanted meaning. I wanted purpose. I wanted to walk with God and do his will.
I was beyond ready to move into the new thing, but the day never came, and the weight of waiting was crushing me. I couldn't stay on the path I was on. I couldn't stay one more day, let alone see myself doing it for the next 20-30 years. The grace was gone to stay where I was! I needed to get out.
The only thing keeping me in my job was the need for income. My wife was behind me as much as she could be, but her only request is that I could show her where the money was going to come from...My work had become golden handcuffs, and I needed break free!
I wrestled for a quite while about how to tell my dad I was leaving, you might be there now, but I finally did and it went better than I expected, except he asked me what I was going to do, and how I would provide for my family, and I didn't have a clear answer.
Even more difficult, I kept asking the Lord to show me the way out, to show me where he was taking me, to show me the steps, but honestly, I didn’t feel like he was answering me. I was desperate, and ultimately came to the realization that I was really struggling with depression.
There wasn't time to spend hours seeking the Lord for direction everyday, I had to make a living. And as much as I wanted to want to do take that time to seek him, it didn't seem like he was answering. Plus, I had obligations at home, and by that point, I welcomed distractions.
You just want him to tell you what to do, or where he is taking you, you know? But that isn't how it went.
I can still feel the pain from that season if I talk, or think, about it too much. I'm not a very emotional person, but even I get tears in my eyes when I describe the pain of that season to others.
I'm not sure you can understand it unless you live it. I know my wife didn't, and I bet there are people in your life who don't either. When I started working with a coach, he understood. He had gone through it too. And when I eventually got into the right coaching community, they understood. They were on the same journey.
"You gotta to do what you gotta do," didn't work for us. Paying bills, or even providing for family, wasn't enough to make us feel good about where we were in life and work. We knew God had more.
Maybe, like I did, you don’t feel qualified to do what would really fulfill you, or you don't see how it can pay the bills. Or maybe you're just not sure how to make the transition.
Like me, you've probably already explored other career options, or tried starting your own business(es) only to realize that's not what you want to be doing either. Everywhere you look, you see one more thing that you could do that would lead you away from what you know God has for you.
You know the saying, “What got you here won’t get you there,” and "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results?" That was my painful place. If I had been clear on what I really wanted to do-what it really looked like, and where/how to step into it, I would have done it! But I didn't.
I had to get help. I had to reach outside my current comfort, community and resources, and I’m glad I did, because it was coaching and a new community where I was given direction and encouragement, and where I discovered the mindsets and heart issues I was blind to that were keeping me trapped.
As hard as I tried to figure it all out on my won, there were things I couldn't see and wouldn't have known to look for, keeping me from discovering what God had for me.
My journey took through college, more than eight years of wandering and struggle, cost tens of thousands of dollars, took me hundreds of hours of reading and study, and suffering consistent hope deferred and depression.
God didn't waste any of it. Every piece of my process was necessary, and I didn't know it, nor would I have believed it if someone had told me! But God knew, and he was using all of it for my benefit, and he will yours too!
So, if you'd permit me, I'd like to invite you to The 5 Day Promised Land Challenge.
During these 5 days I'll give you the keys I learned to get you your breakthrough. You WILL receive new clarity and hope. I'll give you the tools you need to accelerate you in your journey.
PLUS, you'll get do it in a community of people that are on the same journey, people who understand your struggles, people who will laugh when you laugh and cry when you cry, people who will contend for you and pray for you, because they know your desperation. They will be your greatest cheerleaders, too!
You've been doing it your way for years, and if you've read this whole letter, you're still desperate for breakthrough. Wouldn't it be worth finding a little time each day for 1 week to see how this FREE challenge will change your life, especially with some one who has stepped into his promised land, and now helps others come into theirs?
Here’s to your breakthrough,