Momentum: Friend or Foe?

Is momentum our friend or a foe?

It’s odd how I am so eager to set goals and launch into something new … and then loath the maintainence part of the journey. The grind. The hustle of making something happen. Thankfully I’m just Scottish enough that I don’t give up easily – you might even call it a stubborn streak. Yet, the urge is real to quit when it isn’t fun anymore.

Have you ever decided that it was time to start something new? Maybe it’s jogging or eating healthier, writing a book … or the famous read-through-the-bible-in-a-year new years resolution? You start strong, and then you hit Numbers and you wonder where your motivation went?

I’ve been there. You feel the momentum behind you, the build up of having moderate daily success … only to feel like you’re dying somewhere in the middle. Sort of like the rocket that launched – the thrust of moving away from gravity felt great at first, but as you hit the edge of the atmosphere you can feel the flames of friction hit you hard. Yikes. Didn’t know it was going to feel this uncomfortable.

Momentum has you by the throat … is it your friend or foe?

Momentum has you by the throat … is it your friend or foe? On one hand you feel compelled to keep going – you’re doing so well why stop now? But on the other hand, now you feel forced to continue. Trying to prove you can finish what you’ve started. Maybe it’s others expectations that make you feel like you’re stuck and now you’ve got to look the part. Or, maybe it’s your own expectations – you expected more from yourself. You question yourself, Come on, is this all I’m made of?

Keep it going. Hustle. Other people can do it … why can’t you? You’re somewhere in the middle. It is no longer easy or fun. Where is the pause button? The exit sign. The get out of jail free card?

Do we hustle or grind?

I was reading the Christmas story yesterday. Mary said something powerful to the angel Gabriel. When he told her that nothing was impossible with God, she simply replied, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.”

If I put myself in young Mary’s shoes, there’s a lot at stake walking this new road: becoming the mother of the Saviour of the world. As I pondered her story, I wondered if she ever felt stuck in the middle of a dream that was WAY larger than her?

As I reflect on Mary’s response, something else stands out. There is something peaceful and trusting in her words. May it be to me as you have said. If nothing is impossible with God, then there is no fear of failure. This ride is going to happen. Hang on and watch what God does.

She understood her part: I am the Lord’s servant. Ah! This is God’s dream, plan, journey. If the plan is God’s then the onus is on Him to make it happen.

So, how does this apply to us, in the year 2020, where life has taken a crazy left turn and no one knows what happens next in the world quarantine scenario? What of our dreams and all the things in which we find ourselves in the middle? Maybe it doesn’t feel as fun, or even achievable anymore?

Is my dream to big?

Anything that God designs, is perfect. Perfect size, perfect outcomes. Perfectly doable …. BUT only with His strength and Spirit propelling us and making our way. (Rather than relying on our own momentum). On our own, the dream is always bigger than us. Giant. But like Mary, when we choose to believe that the impossible is possible with God, we leave it up to Him to make it happen

It doesn’t mean that every moment and every road is obstacle free, but it does mean that God will deal with the things that stand in our way. That’s why He’s God.

When God created the world HE spoke it into existence, and as a result, it is still being held together by Him: Colossians 1:16-17 … all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together… including our life’s journeys.

… being confident of this that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus… Philippians 1:6. This includes the goals and plans of our lives that He inspires and blesses.

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10. God has already gone ahead of us and prepared the way and the assignments that we are completing.

God brings the needed resources and people into the equation

It’s like when my kids were little. I would prepare a craft for them to do. And I would prepare a space for them to do it in. If there were some friends that they could do the craft with, I would invite them to join in the work. Because I love my kids, I chose things that they would succeed at, yet, would challenge them to grow their fine motor skills, or whatever we happened to be working on at the time.

Momentum is neither a friend nor a foe.

This is how our loving God is. He makes a way for us. Momentum is neither a friend nor a foe. Momentum is something that we feel, yes, but it neither makes nor breaks our outcome. God is the One whose deep love and affection, whose power and strength enables us to continue and reach the outcomes that He has placed as our heart’s desires.

Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

What are your dreams and desires? Release them to God. Trust Him to bring them to pass. Keep walking the path He has you on. And let Him show you the next step.

With Love,

Jenn

PS. Keep your eyes and ears open for the release of my new book: Hope Breaks Through: Discovering God’s Signs in Your Life. It can be a self-directed or a 30 day journey to uncover personal signs from God for healing, direction and transformation. Details for book purchases will be available here: in Resources & Updates.

Copyright (c) 2020 Jennifer Bryant-Choong. All Rights Reserved.