So here we go. I have to write this “I’m back” post after months of not getting anything on my personal blog. It’s just that things have been crazy hectic since the start of the year. Not that I’m making excuses, but I did learn a lesson or two along the way that I want to share with you in hopes that my experience will teach you a lesson or two about goal-setting and pacing.
As far as pacing is concerned, mine has been crazy fast since the start of 2017. Since this year started, I’ve now racked up as many as thirteen huge projects spread across seven clients. The lack of finances was not a problem after I had grossed what I made last year in a whole year in the first three months.
And I’m extremely grateful for what has transpired in the last few months, but that’s going to end. I’ve just recently dropped my contract with Christian Media Corporation writing for Christian Today and The Christian Post to focus again on other things including more rest, more time with the family and more time spent on personal projects.
And so now here I am again in my personal blog, writing to you a few lessons I’ve learned the past few days out of this big transition of letting go of one of my biggest writing gigs and as well as a few other projects as well. Here are some lessons out of this big transition period.
Not all opportunities are God opportunities
I’ve received multiple opportunities the past few months, and most of them were lucrative and rewarding. But not all of them were God opportunities. They all promised fat paychecks and good exposure, but not every one of them brought me closer to God’s will and purpose for my life.
How do we know which opportunities are from God and which ones are just distractions and test? Proverbs 3:5-6 offers us the best answer: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” We can never know for sure whether a solution will bring us closer to God’s will, but God does. We then are to inquire first of God and trust in Him first and foremost.
I took a lot of opportunities that were not God opportunities and though God was gracious to still bring me back on track, I could have saved a lot of time, effort and even finances had I inquired of God first before jumping into an opportunity.
There’s a time and season for everything
One of the major changes I had to make in my life was to end a big contract with Christian Media Corporation- one of the largest Christian blog networks in the world- as one of their staff writers. The main reason: God had instructed me that that season was over. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” Our life is marked by seasons, and our job is to be sensitive to one’s beginning and end.
My season in Christian Media Corporation was a great one- I learned a lot and gained a platform to preach the gospel and share hope. But now God’s calling me to a new season, and I’m excited for it. What season are you in right now? Have you struggled with ending and beginning a season? We all have, but at the end of the day, that’s why faith is highly important.
Money is not the only treasure
The past four months have been some of my most profitable. I was raking in amounts of up to Php120,000 a month. But in the abundance of finances was a lack of many other treasures that were just as or even more important. I was failing health-wise- losing sleep, missing running sessions, and getting sick pretty often. I was working sixteen to seventeen hours a day non-stop. I was missing devotionals and time with the family.
Matthew 6:21 tells us, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” What treasures do you have today? Money isn’t the highest treasure. Yes money has a trade off, but sometimes we trade too much time, health, relationships for the sake of money.
The Bible instructs us not to get weary getting rich. Money isn’t the ultimate purpose of life. It all boils down to things of higher value such as the impact we have over people, growing in our relationship with God and building our character in the process.
I’m thankful for the past four months. God has been faithful in allowing me to hit goals, exceed expectations and see His hand move in the midst of my weakness and failures. But a new season is coming up, not just for me but for many of us today. My hope and prayer is that we learn to be sensitive to God’s leading always, allowing Him to direct our paths as we acknowledge Him.
What season has God placed you in or what season is He bringing you into? Are you taking the time to remain sensitive?