I had a dream a while ago and was recently reminded of it:
I was standing in line at the concession stand at the beach. I bought all this unhealthy food (pizza, fries, a hot dog, chips, soda, candy) with the only money I had with me, and I stood there looking at it in disgust, wishing I didn't have to eat it, but that's all there was, and I was hungry.
Then my sister came up to me and said, "Shan, what are you doing? Dad's taking us out for a really nice dinner."
I woke up thinking about it, and the word that came to mind was "settling". At that time I know that God was speaking specifically to me about a relationship in my life that needed to go; He had something much better planned. But I think it can apply to the amazing grace of God and what we're missing out on when we settle for second best (or for just plain ridiculous), whether it's with what He's called us to do, who He wants us to reach out to, the way He wants us to live our lives...
Why do we settle? We don't see beyond what's right in front of us? (I thought junk food was my only option.) Laziness? (It was easy, the concession stand was right there.) We dare to assume what is and is not possible? (I only had enough money for cheap food, not a nice dinner.) But the word says that God is able to "do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine" (Eph. 3:20), and that nothing is impossible with Him (Mark 10:27).
Sometimes our choices don't make sense in light of what He's offering.
My prayer is that we will have our eyes opened to the areas in our lives where we may be settling, as well as to what God wants to do instead. And it's more than what's in His hand or what His plans are for these little blips of time we call our lives --- it's about HIM. It's important to recognize where we may have replaced intimacy with Him with something or someone else, things that will always be infinitely less. He's beckoning us in to sit with Him at the fanciest party, an awesome feast, and we'd rather sit in the dirt outside with a Slim Jim and a can of Pringles? C.S. Lewis puts it like this: we are like "an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased." (from The Weight of Glory).
I love the phrase "ruined for anything less"; it describes how I feel about being in relationship with God. Nothing else compares... nothing and no one else can even come close. I don't want to settle because I trust that His heart toward me is good, and that He wants what's best for me in all areas of my life, in my relationships, in how I spend my time, in my thoughts, in my speech...because ultimately, what's best for me is being close to Him, and a life connected with Him is what will bring Him glory.
