Finding Your Spot

Search for the LORD and for his strength; continually seek him.

“Honey, can you help me move this pot? The basil isn’t getting enough sunlight, and we won’t have much of a crop if we don’t get it moved.”

Aaron isn’t really a gardener, but he loves fresh basil. I only had to suggest that our harvest was in jeopardy, and there he was, ready to lift/scoot/roll my enormously heavy pot halfway across the yard.

As we settled the basil into a sunnier location, I paused to reconsider how my other plants were faring. My garden competes with a couple of nearby trees for light, and I try to plant the sun lovers in the full-sun spots while my cooler season veggies get tucked into the areas with various amounts of dappled shade. Different plants need different amounts of light to thrive, and planting in the wrong place generally results in a smaller harvest.

In the corporate world, a phrase describing the same basic concept is “putting people into the right seat on the bus.”^a It works the same way for us as Christians. In other words, when we’re aligned with God, we’re positioned for maximum personal growth and the ability to impact lives around us. This doesn’t always mean we’re comfortable or where we want to be; it means we’re where God has planted us for his glory and purpose.

I pondered the “right seat on the bus” concept as I stood contemplating my garden plants. Lord, am I in the right seat on your bus? Is there any seat trading or shifting I need to do? What about Aaron and the kids—are we in the right bus seats as a family? How do we increase our proverbial harvest?

Today’s verse is a wonderful reminder to keep God at the center of our decision-making as we stand on the cusp of a new year. He knows what we need before we do, and we can thank him in advance for using us to build his Kingdom—even if that is not the most outwardly comfortable, preferred spot on the bus.

Julie

Today’s Act of Gratitude

Ask God to move you into the “right bus seat,” aligning your life with his will in the big and small, looking for opportunities to be grateful in the process.