When we find ourselves walking the path that God places before us, we often find obstacles in our way. These obstacles often foster doubt and confusion within us.
When we allow the emotions of doubt and confusion to take hold of us, we waver, we even stop striving to reach a goal that God placed on our heart. We lose focus of our goals.
Most often, a goal that God puts in our hearts for us to strive for takes work. Sometimes we're not equipped to complete the tasks that lead to the goal. Perhaps we need to get a degree first, or take a special class. Perhaps we need to do many little speaking engagements before we make it to national exposure with the outreach program God set us on.
God uses us to help his churches grow and survive, to spread the word to many others. Perhaps our part in this is small, such as handling the coffee and tea before service each Sunday. Perhaps He calls us to help Him by giving us a desire for our own ministry.
God also fulfills His promise to provide for us, by showing us where our personal success lies. If true happiness for you is making toys, God may call you to learn business skills and open your own toy shop where you can sell your creations. If you love cooking cookies and feel that when your days are filled with cooking in the kitchen, God may place a desire in your heart to open a sweet shop.
When you're struggling to make it through each day under a cloud of misery and you think, "I wish I could quit my sales job and become an artist." And you mean it deep down in your heart. Listen.
God will use your passion to show you where your true path lies. He will place opportunities in front of you and with hard work, you'll one day be able to quit that sales job and be a full time artist.
This isn't to say that the path to achieving your goal will be easy. In fact, it probably won't be. There's a very good chance that you will have to stay focused because it won't happen overnight. You'll be attacked by the emotions of doubt and confusion, and a few of their friends, along the way.
When they attack, pray.
As the aspiring artist facing a time where art sales aren't coming and you've received a negative comment about a painting you felt so good about, ask God for guidance.
Ask Him to take the desire for an artistic career away from you if you are mistaken. Ask Him to renew the vision of making your goal within you and help you repel the negative emotions that are hindering your progress if this artistic career is your true path.
Trust Him. Trust Yourself. Trust in Your Faith. Read scripture. Visualize your end goal, and figure out your next step towards that goal.
It may not happen right away, but if you stay true to your desires that God puts in your heart, you'll make it there.
"He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions." Psalm 107:20
Diana Cacy Hawkins works as The Digital Church Secretary, creating guides for churches and church members and volunteers. The Stewardship Growth Program can be found at http://www.stewardshipg rowthprogram.com