About 13 years ago I heard the phrase, “The best is yet to come.” I initially thought it was a self help phrase that was designed to be a great bumper sticker or Instagram quote, but that it didn’t have much substance other than that. Over the last 13 years I have had some challenges in my professional positions, doubts in my value and effectiveness, and struggles in my family relationships. At times I have heard this quote and been mad and sarcastic. At times I have heard this quote and wished I could believe it. I have wrestled internally with the seemingly shallowness and impracticalness of the quote. I have been in ministry 25 years and at times, it feels like my best years are behind me. I am at times burnt out, feel old and outdated, or hurt and confused. Sometimes I just want to tap out and let the next leader run into the fire.
And then God stops me. Well, He doesn’t stop me, I just am able to listen when I stop myself and get alone with Him. When I silence my thoughts, submit my plan for His, and listen for God’s voice, I begin to believe that the best is yet to come.
Now, I know when Jesus comes back or when we get to heaven we will be in a MUCH better place, and in that manner the best is definitely yet to come. But I also believe that God will guide us into the best part of our life if we are willing to listen and follow. When I am quiet and listen to God, I hear the voice of a loving Father who wants the best for His kid and wants to invite us into being the best impact for Him in this world. I hear a God who doesn’t look at age, gender, race, experience, intellect, opportunity, but a God who says “if you give me what you have, I will do so much more with it.”
As I write this, I am a 48-year-old youth pastor with a suitcase full of hurts and disappointments and a massive shipping container full of incredible experiences where God has met me and did the remarkable through me. How I see the future and step into it depends if I spend more time focusing on the suit case or the shipping container. My wounds attempt to draw my eyes to the suitcase, but my heart for Jesus realigns my vision to the shipping container. If I can keep my eyes focused on what Jesus has done in and through me, it is easy to see the best is yet to come.
For those of you who are struggling to believe that the best is yet to come because of past hurts, disappointments, abuse, political stress, fear of the current culture, I invite you to get quiet with Jesus. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you. Let Him show you your suitcase. Also, let Him show you your shipping container. If you take time to celebrate what is in your shipping container, I hope that you can begin to not only believe, but feel convicted that in God’s plan for your life on earth, the best is yet to come.
As I look forward to the next 25 years of ministry, I have a renewed conviction that the best times of my life are yet to come. I believe that if I continue to learn to get quiet, listen to the Holy Spirit, and focus on the shipping container full of the incredible things God has done, God will continue to invite me into the next steps, the next doors, the next opportunities to help people take their next step in their relationship with Jesus. I am excited to see where God leads and what can happen in the next 25 years. Anything is possible.
The Best Is Yet To Come!