God wants me to shine.

"Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." Daniel 12:3 (NIV)

As I've mentioned before, I get a devotion from Proverbs 31 Ministries e-mailed to me each day. It's great because it helps keep me accountable to having a daily devotion time, and there are always words of wisdom for me to think about and apply to my life.

Anyway...a while back, there was a devotion written by a woman named Van Walton that struck me. She wrote, and I quote :)...
"Ever wonder what God's will is for your life? Simple … shine!"

And I immediately thought, "Hey, that's like the title of my blog, "Keep Shining!" And then I thought about something my good friend Sarah once told me, and how it relates perfectly to Van's take on God's will.

Two year ago, when I was making the big decision about whether or not I should move to Japan, I was also asking, "Is this God's will??" When I asked this question aloud to Sarah, she said that God makes it clear in the Bible what His will for our life is; we're supposed to live in a way that glorifies Him. Period. (Or in other words, His will is that we shine for Him.) As Sarah said, it doesn't matter if I'm in America, Japan, or wherever else, I can be fulfilling God's will by the way I live.

Interestingly enough, the author of the devotion was also making a decision about whether or not to move as she wrestled with God's will. She prayed about her decision to move, and this is what she said that God spoke to her...(which I think is just beautiful)...

"It really doesn't matter where you are. You are in Me and I am in you. Wherever you live, wherever you go, wherever you work, you will find people who need Me. Introduce them to your heavenly Father. Live a life that encourages others to seek Me. Love all people. Teach them how to live. Use your life, your actions, and My Word. This is what you can do whether you live here or there. Remember, wherever you go, I am with you. Wherever you go take Me with you and let your light shine."

Pause. Read that again. And let it really sink in. :)

Before I know it, my time in Japan will be over, and I'll be wondering what the next step for me is. (Actually, I'm already wondering what the next step is!) I'll be sure to keep the above words in mind as I pray about the future.

And now I'm going to reference the devotion for the last time and end with the same closing prayer...

"Dear Lord, Your Word clearly details Your plan for my life. Forgive me for wanting all the specific details before I step out to reflect Your glory. I want to spend my days shining as a light in the darkness. In Jesus' Name, Amen."