If you’ve ever met me, one thing that comes across pretty quickly, besides being fastidious, is that when I get involved with something, I’m all in 155%; my hobbies, my faith, my family, my friends and my work. Shortly into 2010, I discovered a new library in town; I consider it my mecca. During the first visit, I checked out nearly thirty books! I thought I would teach myself all the technical tidbits that could take my work to the next level. I wrote up a plan to initiate projects that were once impossibilities and ideas that would catapult the company image. I spent two months studying pages of jargon and taking tedious notes.

It was then that my company took on new leadership. And the order came that I was to do away with the research, notes and plans I had made; work was heading in a different direction. Imagine the crushing heart break I felt to hear all I had put my life on hold for in the last couple months was basically useless, to say the least. And as you can guess, I was very upset; everything I put my mind and efforts toward were suddenly being shut out? I wrestled with God to make things right. By right, I meant, make things go my way. I wish I could tell you those prayers worked to my liking, but things only got worse. What do you do when you’re under leadership that’s going in one direction and you’ve got ideas to take the company in another?

About a month later, God reminded me that those who rebel against the leadership God put in place, are actually rebelling against Him… and rebels only bring judgment on themselves. That is a tough pill to swallow. Basically, it doesn’t matter if I believe in my leader’s direction or not. As long as I work for her, it is my duty to submit to the authority God has placed me under. Ouch– for a month, I’ve totally been in the wrong. That hurts. It’s okay though, because now that I’ve got myself thinking how I can best support my leader’s new direction, I actually feel a burden has been lifted. Thank you God for reminding me of the word and setting me straight. Where I would be without it, I don’t even want to know.

There’s more though because I thought about my reaction to God’s authority in my life and the parallel that exists between how I submit to his leadership in my life and those he has placed over me. I recall being pretty angry in several occasions with God when He’s directed me down a path that wasn’t in my plans. And honestly, its a real issue I still struggle with today. So now I’m thinking about that 155% I put into life and pride myself on. There’s no doubt I learned a lesson here on where i’m spending my time. I heard a quote yesterday that basically sums this up by saying “I used to be afraid of failing at the things that mattered to me, now I’m more afraid of succeeding at the things that don’t matter.” God isn’t impressed with how many books I read and what kind of plans I have, He’s more interested in me giving that 155% to living out His word.