This Way . . . or That Way!
Pivot Points . . . and BIG Questions in Life
My friend, Deepak, lives in Pune, India and through the technology miracle of Skype—we’ve kept in close touch for more than six years. Back then, we worked together in Hyderabad and Mumbai for a foundation whose focus was creating an elementary school model for low income kids. The students had access to a tablet and some on-and-off internet service, but all were eager to learn. Tuition was $8.00 dollars per month . . . and for many parents, that was a tough financial burden to carry.
Deepak is facing what some have called a mid-life crisis. “I don’t see it that way,” I told him last week. “I think you’re facing a ‘pivot point’ in life . . . a disruptive event that is forcing you to choose a new pathway in life. I’ve faced a few myself,” I confessed. “And, I can guarantee this; it won’t be the last pivot point you’ll encounter on your life’s journey.”
Pivot points in life often bring men and women to their knees . . . sometimes in prayer, sometimes in pain, and sometimes in both. But in reality, not all pivot points are negative. They are, however, an event or set of circumstances that often escalate over time, challenge the status quo, introduce a choice, and point to a new pathway in life. Almost always, they stimulate life change.
To be sure, a pivot point is not the crucial decision between a whole wheat or cinnamon-raisin bagel at your local Panera. No, it’s much more significant than that and may trigger a new stage of life or a radically new assignment within the stage of life you occupy. Save for now the details of your stage of life (and/or your assignment within it) until you read Metamorphyx. Today, I want to focus on something different . . . specifically, the BIG questions that life poses to us at the junction of This Way or That Way.
For example, three years ago this May I felt a disruptive stirring in my soul after reading Henry Cloud’s Necessary Endings. My takeaway? It’s difficult to grab hold of something new without letting go of something old. Shortly thereafter I announced to my wife, Jan, “I’m cutting bait on all my project work at the end of the month.” I then grabbed hold of the unknown. The result was the book, Metamorphyx. Life change decisions are the constant of life!
Here’s three series of questions you can ponder if your soul is telling you that change is in the air or looming on the distant horizon. They can help you sort out This Way orThat Way.
§ How did I arrive at my current stage of life or assignment? Did God “call” me to this role or did I randomly parachute into it? Is my assignment fruitful . . . or unfulfilling and contributing little to my personal growth and development? If that’s the case, ask God for confidence and new insights to make a change.
§ Should I stay where I am? If your call from God is clear, and your passions, gifting and financial provision align with your assignment and stage of life, then celebrate where you are! But remain vigilant, because pivot points in life often come unannounced and can demand significant life change and new thinking about life purpose.
§ What does the future hold? No one knows, of course, but an experienced sailor (i.e., a life traveler) knows that when the wind changes, so does the course of their ship. There are dozens of applications of that in the work place and in the home . . . a new boss, a new technology, and/or a new addition to the family to name a few. An astute life purpose traveler keeps their life purpose radar stealthily in search mode, always scanning the horizon for greater utilization of their God-given passions, gifts, and life change insights that point to That Way . . . not This Way.
Think about it. God is the Author of our “stirrings” and pivot points and he cares about our choices in life. Travel wisely.
Tom
“In their hearts, men and women plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps,” (Proverbs 16:9)