And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. Colossians 1:27 NLT

What do you do when you hear God’s voice calling you? Somewhere between marriage and my kids graduating from high school I recognized God’s voice calling me to ministry. I had always been committed to helping my husband move forward in God’s plan for his life. That was my job, right? But as I began to recognize God’s voice calling me, a seed of dissatisfaction began to germinate. Thankfully, it never fully blossomed, but shoots did emerge as I struggled through the question of how to respond to God’s voice. When would what I envisioned for my life come to pass?

The question gnawed at me continually, even though I couldn’t really articulate it. I knew that God had called me to do more than raise my kids and help my husband. Those roles were important, but I knew that there was more. Had I missed it? When would I have my opportunity? I felt left out and left behind. There was more to life than this, but no matter how far I stretched, I felt like I couldn’t grab ahold of it.

Perhaps you struggle with some of those same feelings, my friend. You know there is more for you, but you feel left out, left behind and less than. Where and when is your opportunity?

I want to encourage you. God has not left you out of His promise. You are included. When you decided to put your life in Christ’s hands, He made His residence in you. His presence is evidence that you are included in God’s plan. You have a part to play in the future glory of God on the earth. That is the truth! How do I know? I have seen that truth playing out in my own life. Those years of feeling overlooked and left out now seem far away. Don’t miss now! God is using your now to prepare you for your then. I know it! I am living proof!

Do you want to know the secret of living with passion and purpose now with hope for the then you can’t see? Remember that Christ Himself lives in you. He lives in you! Consider this: The fullness of God resides within the confines of the space that is you. When you gave yourself to Christ, He gave Himself to you and made His address in your heart. Why don’t you stop now to contemplate the implications of Christ living in you?

He is always close to you, no matter how you feel! Say to yourself, “Christ lives in ME!” Think of it! He is not far away. He is so close that He is a part of you. When I feel far away from God, I can remind myself that He is, in fact, in me. In me. Amazing, isn’t it? The God of the universe is at home in my heart and in yours. He loved you and me so much that He wanted no space between us. If you believe that you belong to Christ, then this is the truth that needs to take root in you. He is close to you and there is nothing you can do about it! Nothing can separate you from His love. (Romans 8:37-39)

His character shapes your character. “Christ LIVES in me.” He lives. He is not an idea. He is not a concept. He is a living person. A living person with thoughts ideas, feelings. All that He is as the Son of God lives in me: His wisdom, His power, His love, His compassion, lives in me.

But it doesn’t always show, does it? I mess up. I snap at my husband. I forget to follow through on a promise I made to a co-worker. I choose my own comfort over serving someone else. In those moments, why doesn’t Christ in me show? Because I don’t let it. Because I choose me over Him. The secret of a transformed character is allowing Christ in me to guide my decisions. As I allow Christ in me to lead the way, I am transformed, and my character begins to better reflect His character. When I remember that He LIVES in me and let Him live through me, I change. I want to keep changing!

His presence is the promise of a bright future. “CHRIST lives in me.” Christ, the King of heaven, lives in me. This is the hope of glory, the hope of a glorious future in heaven. The reminder that this life is not all there is. That there is something more, something better. Doesn’t that hope of a reward waiting in heaven far outshine all the darkness and drudge that is part of life on earth in the 21st century?

When you feel caught in the web of work and worry, remembering that heaven is waiting can loosen the stickiness of life now and lift you from the trap of tension and to-dos. Christ lives in me now and leads me toward then. Christ, who is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven, lives in me! Because He is in me and in heaven, heaven lives in me. Wow! The tastes of heaven we get now are reminders that home, our real home, is waiting. What a day that will be!

Does God really have a place for you in His plan? Absolutely! Does He seem to be using other people and you feel like you are on the backburner? Just wait! God has a place for you in His plan. Be patient and be faithful! There is more ahead. Christ lives in you. That’s the guarantee of His promise. You have a part to play in His story. You are not forgotten. You are not set aside. You have the Spirit of Christ alive in you. That is the promise. You are included, not excluded. He hasn’t left you out or put you aside. He lives in you so that He can live through you. That makes you a part of His story right now!

Key Thought: Christ lives in you so that He can live through you.

A Scripture to Consider: And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. Colossians 1:27 NLT

A YES Challenge: What current challenges seem to be holding you back from responding to God’s voice? How might God be working through those challenges now in preparation for your future?

Prayer: Lord, I often feel like you’ve left me on the shelf. It seems like other people are moving forward in their purpose and I am treading water, just waiting. Help me to remember that You live in me. You have made Your home in me and filled me with Your Spirit. You are living through me now and are accomplishing Your purposes in and through me. Amen.