Do you ever feel like you are out of place? Just not where you belong?Just waiting around for the next thing?

 

It’s a pretty common feeling for most of us I would Imagine. My thoughts ran to this idea recently because I was thinking about how it is graduation season for so many. I can remember longing for graduation to come. I lived at least 8 years of my life feeling like I wasn’t where I belonged. I went through both college and seminary going to classes and working in jobs that were only there to get me to somewhere else. That’s a hard place to live in. It’s a hard way to live.

 

But, even with this mindset being so hard on us, I would guess that most of us live this way. We believe that where we are right now (whether with job, school, house, whatever) is not ultimately where we are supposed to be, and so, to one degree or another, this is merely just a pass-through; a pit stop. Not only is it a hard way to live (it will kill you), but it’s the totally wrong way to think.

 

There’s a song that’s been out for awhile, by a group I like, that you’ll hear every now and then on the radio. The chorus goes something like this, “All I know is I’m not home yet, this is not where I belong. Take this world and give me Jesus. This is not where I belong.” On the one hand, I love the thought. Take the world; I’ll take Jesus! Yes! And, we should all have a healthy view towards our eternal future with Christ, but I really take issue with even suggesting that somehow this life and world doesn’t matter. That this life’s only point is to get me where I

belong. That the job I’m in now, or the community in which I live, or the people I am around everyday are not where I really belong and I need to just endure my time here so I can get to the real stuff. This thinking cheats you, it cheats others, and it cheats God. 

 

When Moses was telling Joshua in Deuteronomy that he would be succeeding the Exodus Leader, Moses told the leader-to-be,

“The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” I’m sure there were days where Joshua didn’t feel like he was where he really belonged. Days where fear and discouragement tempted him to just brush off the present and look towards a better, eternal future. Yet, Moses warns him not to give into this way of thinking and to realize the truth that he is where he is because God has brought him to that point. Wherever you are. Whatever job you are in. Whichever situation you are dealing with. Know that it is exactly where you belong because God went before you, and He is still with you. God doesn’t waste time or opportunities and the whole idea that somehow we need to just wait around for what is really our goal is just bad theology. God brought you here for a reason. Don’t waste your life waiting for God’s promises to be fulfilled when the greatest promise He has given is right there for the taking everyday.This life, this world, and this time is exactly where you belong. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged!