I had the opportunity to go to a Bible Study last Tuesday night led by my lovely friend, Scarlet Pepin. She has such a vibrant relationship with Jesus, and it is just refreshing to be around her. What she shared has so blessed me all week and I want to share it with you today.
A few years ago, Scarlet was working in her garage and just thanking God for her family. She just felt grateful that everyone was doing OK. Her kids weren’t on drugs and she still loved her husband, everyone was OK. In that moment, she saw a picture in her heart and it was of her holding onto the tail of an elephant, and so focused on the tail that she couldn’t see the elephant. She began to ask God what that meant and what she felt in her heart was that she had been content with just the tail of what God had for her and her family, when what He really wanted to give her was an elephant. Here she was just thanking God for the tail, when God had so much more, but she had to get the “more” into her heart. She began to ask the Lord, “OK Lord, all I see is the tail, but that just means that there is an elephant around here somewhere!”
She went on to say that she just didn’t want to get to the end of her life and realize that she had settled for the tail when what God actually had for her was an elephant. She wanted to press in to the Father God, and know His heart for her, so she would know what the elephant looked like and how to go for it. Scarlet and her family have so laid hold of the elephant in their lives, that they now ask in all kinds of situations, “OK, where is the elephant in this situation.” In other words, “I can only see the tail of circumstances right now, but God what is it that You are wanting to do?” So many times we totally miss out on the amazing purpose that God has for us because we are so focused on the tail of what we think is going on. And if you are on the tail end of the elephant, you are definitely on the wrong end of the elephant! You will be tolerating a lot of “yuck” in your life, until you finally realize that God has a lot more for you.
I loved this exhortation because every one of us have “elephant sized” promises in store for us. God has made you for a wonderful purpose and His heart is for you to go for that abundance and not just settle for the tail. On Tuesday night, Scarlet spoke to a group of mostly stay at home Moms and all of us felt such a resonance with what she was sharing. It is so easy to just get your eyes on the tail of what God has for you and think that that is all there is. We settle for just the tail when God wants us to lay hold of the “great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:4) that he has for us.
Are you riding on the elephant of God’s purpose for you, or are you clinging to just the tail and thinking that that is all there is? Go for the whole elephant. If what God puts in your heart seems huge to you, then it is a good sign that you are seeing beyond the tail, and God is in it. His plans for your life are incredible; His heart for you is abundance.
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (I John 3:1)
God loves you today, passionately and without reserve. So much so that he has brought you into His family through Jesus and calls you His child. His purpose for you and for your family is enormous. So lift your eyes from the tail that you have been content to live with, because God has an entire elephant in front of you.