What Are You Longing For?

What are you longing for? Do you have short-, mid-, or long-term goals for your life? How badly do you want what you are aiming for?

We all start out with ideals and aspirations. To many people get squashed early on through all kinds of hardships beyond their control. Those people can become trapped in hopelessness. 

But God.

Others, full of determination, persevere and see a measure of results, but may slow when they find the work long, hard. Sometimes they settle for comfort. 

I have not always run at full speed, partly because burnout happens when we do not find reasonable rhythms. 

When I was young, I joined a group that invited me to come help change the world! I am grateful because I have experienced the power of teamwork. Abba has blessed me, allowing me to help see some people and places changed for the better in the Kingdom.

I’m older now. By current standards, I am in the last third of my life. From here, I experience the idea of mortality differently than I did in my twenties.

I don’t have the physical youth I once had, but I do have a battle-hardened longing to run the marathon of life to the end. It is my longing that is a large part of my motivation, inspiring me into possibly my best physical condition in years.

Longing also influences other choices, choices about our intensity levels, our allocation of finances, time and energy. Along the way those who persevere develop tools and rhythms to keep pressing forward.

Yes, I do wish any number of things had gone differently, but looking from here, I don’t think I’d change much. Learning hard lessons is part of life, and the hard parts that happen often have many contributors, putting some parts out of our control. We own our part to learn and keep growing and moving toward our longings. Romans 12:14-21

Longing also implies relentless pursuit of something we may never fully experience. It is tied to faith like the great cloud of witnesses in Hebrews 11:1. 

Keeping our eyes on the higher cause proves true every time. This longing I am experiencing lately seems to be part of maturing through lifelong pursuit. Romans 12:1-2

Regardless of how we feel in our current circumstances, we keep pressing toward the upward call of Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:10-16 And we keep on longing and seeking because we know in our inner beings there is much more than today. 

We are longing for an eternity of relationship with our Creator, through Jesus.

Abba, we love you. Our hearts desire is not for us, but to accomplish Your will here on earth. Each of us has a portion of Your vast plan to live out. May each of us count the cost, keeping our focus on You and the longings you put in us. Amen