Are you excited about watching the Olympics?
For two weeks we get to watch men and women follow their dreams. We’ll see incredible performances made to appear routine, and we’ll hear stories of people who overcame insurmountable obstacles just to be there. The Olympics are almost more about perseverance and mental toughness than about higher, faster, stronger.
I’m sure we’ll be inspired by tales of folks who set high standards and sacrificed nearly everything to achieve them. That’s what’s required of world-class athletes.
I recently read some motivational material created and used by famed martial artist/actor/philosopher Bruce Lee. Beyond his physical skills, Lee was known for his extreme devotion to mental discipline. He constantly wrote notes to himself about sharpening his mental focus. Some of them were interesting, but one caught my attention.
You will never get any more out of life than you expect. ~ Bruce Lee
That’s just about the saddest statement I can imagine.
I believe in setting big goals. As we plan for FREEDOM TOUR 2017 I’m already thinking, and praying, about some really crazy ideas for what we might accomplish. God-sized dreams require big visions. So we work as hard as we can toward the goals we’ve established.
But when I talk to God, I don’t ask Him to meet my expectations. I ask Him to use our efforts to accomplish His purposes, and I ask Him to keep our hearts open to whatever interruptions He provides along the way.
When I do that–when I show up and do the work without expectations about the result–I’ve discovered that many times the result is something much different, and often significantly better, than anything I would have imagined on my own. Doesn’t happen every day…sometimes it’s just hot and sweaty. But long-term His surprises are usually a lot better than my best plans.
God isn’t a cosmic service department dedicated to meeting customer expectations. And I can’t picture a more disappointing life than one limited by my imagination.
I’m in for the surprises designed by the same God who put those beautiful mountains in place. I’m in for Thy Will Be Done.
There’s no limit to what can be accomplished by a group of committed, passionate people when they work together and trust God for the outcome.