Do You Need Permission to be Successful?

Don’t try to shove a square peg into a round hole – it simply will not fit. Not only will one be wasting their time, but this fruitless effort bathed in pride will be delaying precious fulfilling life-changing experiences one could know while working in and around that sweet spot known as your life’s calling. One of my favorite verses that nails this subject to the wall is this ...
Romans 11:29, "For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable."

Nothing feels as liberating as working in the role to which you have a calling – be it ministry, a corporate position, a home based business, a stay at home mom role, birthing an invention or idea into fruition, public speaking on topics of our expertise, and any other scenario we are drawn to inwardly. We gravitate toward those things and that thrill in our belly with the butterflies proves that this is our "thing"!

But on the contrast, simply put, one will feel at odds and miserable if we are beating out of sync  – operating out of our calling. Trying to maneuver around a place we don’t belong simply won’t satisfy for the long haul and leaves us feeling deflated and unfulfilled in a multitude of ways. Suddenly we may wake up one day well into the years of dull ventures we have been on along the not-so-suitable path and realize how much time has been wasted and how many excuses we have used before we own the fact we have been given ONE life and a God-given place of “making a difference” in the lives of others in a uniquely designed calling from HIM.

So what holds us back sometimes from pursuing that desire from within, or even trying to unearth that dream of what we could go and do and be buried under our blanket of denial? Did we become derailed by a discouraging comment from someone significant to us that made the dream seem impossible, or even that little voice in our own head that says “it will never fly”. That other voices we often listen to generally takes precedence over believing the voice of our Lord God Who has equipped those that He calls for the work at hand and gives us great pleasure in that journey as well (Hebrews 13:20-21). Why would we not believe the One that made us for His purpose and muffle out His brilliant plan and voice? 

Fear, doubt, and laziness ... that's what holds us back. We are given warning about all three of these powerful truths in God's Word, and the potential for all that encompasses a life lived short of the full potential of what one can do. We are in essence drowning out God's light and right to shine. 

So let's see what the Word says about it and find out how to combat set backs even if we do hit a bump or a clear downfall in our pursuit of His calling learning how to get back up on our feet. Getting passionate and motivated about promised possibilities can be one of the most critical first steps a person can take to get on the road, or get back into action. Jeremiah 29:11-14 is a fabulous study to understand this as it states, "for I KNOW the plans I have for you, " declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Can I get a witness?

I will go further to back this passage for you as well. I read once in an excerpt from a very persuasive writer in ministry stating that these Jeremiah 29 set of verses quoted above were not for us of the modern era, but just for those that the passage was written to of that day and age in Scripture. My response to him ... "I beg to differ sir!"

Years ago I HEARD THE VOICE OF GOD during a conference that changed everything ... and He said a Jeremiah 29:11 paraphrase, "I have a plan for your life."

At that moment I was radically transformed in all my imperfectness. But that settled it! The concept of that verse is relevant to anyone He plans for and that is a timeless passion-filled energy producing FACT! The God of the universe spoke directly into my very soul and I was radically, ridiculously, overwhelmingly changed, right there on the spot. It was a stunning moment in my life. Once one hears the voice of the living Lord God, one will never ever ever ever be the same. It's become a vital part of my testimony that can be viewed here >>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKOlC-QHTu4

We can proceed and be confident in prayer, that He is the One that is leading, and pushing past mistakes, and failures is part of the process rather than the reason to quit. Eventually we will soar, and when success takes place He is the One Who deserves the credit! He will use all of your dysfunction and strengths combined to make you all that you can be for His pleasure and reasons. Nothing is more satisfying than that spoken from my first hand experience. 

The definition of success also varies widely from person to person. Your calling may not be to create or run a million dollar company or making a headline news piece, but certainly it COULD if we put our passions into action behind the plow of determination to make a dream come to reality. When we operate within the will of God, ANYTHING is possible for the Lord God the Creator of the Universe Who has no limits functioning with unspeakable power in and around that person. Don’t miss it, don’t allow time to waste, visions to fade, and the monster of negativity to create a halt in your progress. How many days are we guaranteed a breath and yet we live as if we have forever to finally grab hold of the brass ring that we were wired to hold on any given scale?

Time to stop and change directions and move along with the areas of life you were meant to be the warrior that you are – here are a few helpful steps to get thinking into the mode of productivity in the right direction:

1. Pray on it. Nothing but nothing beats absolute communication with our Father Who is bursting with kindness and surprises for His children, which leads me to this reassuring statement; make sure you are a child of God in order to receive His blessings. All one has to do is simply believe in Him as Savior and then seek His kingdom first and His righteousness which is learned through the meditation on His Word the Bible and spending time in fellowship with Him. He will begin to shape the desires of your heart according to His Word if you will delight in Him, and then soon, one will want what He wants.  (Psalm 37:4)

2. Get to know yourself.  With a pen and paper, write down what YOU love to do, to dream on, to see, to feel, to experience. Don’t rush this process because a person who has suppressed deep desires and life long goals may need to resurrect those ideals with a bit of soul searching. On the flip side, if you are a visionary as I am, we may have a quiver full of ideas and need to sift through and find the ones that need to hold the top spots.

Don’t overlook your day dreams as a sub-level of enjoyment to what we think is more important. Let me correct you on this erroneous thinking …there IS no line of distinction here. Your desires are vital and one of the sweetest discoveries of His handy work to equip you for the call. RUN into that desire and steep in this area of thinking especially if you have been particularly dead to thought of “what if”. Chew on the possibilities and let it steep for awhile in your mind. Don’t let money or lack of money become the obstacle. Lack of dough cannot become the excuse as that says that “it” is more of a god than the real God Who owns it all. Pray for provision rather than fearing the lack of it.

3. Mentor – get a GOOD mentor who has been there and done that. One of the greatest errors one can make is to communicate with those we  KNOW will deflate one’s sails and over look a variety of well suited and Godly leaders who have been in a position of success gifted in their expertise that would delight to spend time helping a person shape a dream into reality. Don’t rush into mentoring to simply “get someone” but certainly don’t delay in seeking out those that are making things happen in their world. And if the first person says “no” then look for another. They are out there, ready to help and certainly you can find a host of great leadership in writing by such authors as Robert Kiosaki of Rich Dad/Poor Dad (my personal favorite) or Loral Langemeier (Live Out Loud). These two people via their writing and recording and seminars rocked my entrepreneurial world and made ALL the difference in propelling me into action.

4. Choose your timing to get started and then DO IT. If a product will fly later in the year, then don’t press “go” on it now, be patient on this, but don’t delay on the behind the scenes work in preparation for the launch. Sitting idle is pointless when you have embarked on the quest. If that book needs to be written, then do the outline and fill in the info and work on the book cover and back for illustrating – many will want to glean from your wisdom. If you are ready to launch a business, consider the cost before you build and develop your allies around you for the work sake and make friends and be friendly where ever you go. This has been a huge benefit to my work because I genuinely love people and love to bring them joy.

5. Don’t look back. Move ahead and don’t forget to check in with your mentors from time to time as they are far ahead of you in the line of successes. Never let it become  known that you eventually won’t listen to wisdom because we have become prideful, too busy, or a know it all. Never stop learning and understand there will be days you may doubt, feel lazy, have a set back with something that will be an opportunity for you to decide that you have to work through the speed bump rather than let it stop the progress.

6. When you have finally launched, contact me about coaching no matter what stage you find yourself in with your dream. It’s time to get things in motion and there is nothing I find more satisfying than seeing someone successful and being all that they can be. I want to know that this article made a difference. In the end no one will satiate thirst and hunger as you will in the lane the LORD meant for you and not the plan of someone else in your life!