You need to be willing to create your own circumstances

In 1980 I told our church I felt God was calling me to pastoral ministry.  The church licensed me to the ministry, and I began preaching at various churches in the area.  I would preach in any church regardless of denominational or independent affiliation.  One church asked me to serve as their interim pastor while they searched for a pastor, and I spent five months at that church in that role.  When that ministry ended I went a long time between preaching opportunities.  Finally, I decided if I wasn't being asked to preach anywhere I would create my own preaching opportunity. 

A friend of mine and I rented a building at the local fairgrounds and began to advertise a revival would be held there a month later.  We contacted some local gospel singing groups who agreed to provide special music.  We found someone to lead worship.  He and I divided the six nights with each of us preaching three of them.   I thought about that this weekend as I was re-reading John Maxwell's book, The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth: Live Them and Reach Your Potential.  This is a great book that I read two years ago and felt led to begin re-reading last week.  Maxwell writes "You cannot win if you do not begin!  The people who get ahead in the world are the ones who look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, they make them."  Two weeks after the revival Hebron Baptist Church called me to be their pastor, and I stayed there twenty years.  Some of the people from that church attended those revival services, and I've often wondered if that played a role in my being called to that church.

Too often those of us in leadership are waiting for the right circumstances to occur so we can move forward.  There is a time to wait, but there is also a time to take action and create your own circumstances.  A dear friend who attended the church I pastored often said, "God promised to feed the birds in the air, but he never promised to throw the food into their nests."  Sometimes we have to create our own opportunities if we want to move forward.

I recently did that again.  One year ago I received an auctioneer's license.  I enjoy going to auctions and decided to take classes so I could take the exam that would allow me to get my license.  All last year I would run ads in the paper offering my services, and no one called asking me to have an auction for them.  In late December I rented a building in our community and began advertising that I was going to have an auction.  I ended up having nine people contact me asking me to sell items for them.  The auction lasted four hours, which is a good time for an auction, and we had some excellent merchandise.  After the sale a buyer there told me that he had items he would like me to sell at my next auction, and my sellers have said they want me to call them when I have my next sale.  I could sit around and wait for someone to call or I could take action and create the opportunity I wanted to have happen.  I decided to do the latter, and it's worked out.

What are you wanting to see happen in your life or ministry?  While it's important to wait for God's timing there is also the danger of failing to act.  Sometimes opportunity comes disguised as hard work, sometimes it comes disguised as risk, and sometimes it doesn't come at all until you create it yourself.  What would have happened if we had rented a building for a revival and no one came?  I don't know because we rented a building, and people did come.  What would have happened if I rented a building for an auction and no one asked me to sell things for them?  I don't know because I rented a building and nine people contacted me wanting me to sell for them.

Maxwell is right...you can't win if you don't begin.  Let's stop sitting around moaning "If only...."  Take the initiative and make something good happen in your church or in your family or in your organization.  Make something good happen in your own personal life.  If you're not sure how to begin to make that happen I strongly suggest you read Maxwell's book.  Like me, you'll probably find one time reading it is not enough.