I am a 3rd Graphic Design student, and if you have studied anything everyone will tell you that 2nd year is THE WORST year EVER. The design industry is really crazy and I never really understood that until I met my 2nd year lecturer. You know I have never really met those “weird arty” people before, but in 2nd year I was graced with the experience of my lecturer. I actually hated my course for the first 8 months of the year, because of my lecturer. So what made me like her towards the end of the year?
My lecturer is actually a creative genius, and she pushes us all so much. She literally expected the impossible from us. We NEVER slept, we all experienced countless breakdowns. My lecturer forced me to do things that I never thought I would be able to do. She constantly challenged me, and continuously pushed me out of my comfort zone. Towards the end of the year I looked back , and realized that all that pain, suffering, all those sleepless nights and anxiety attacks molded me into the designer I am today. I know that this sounds totally cheesy, but I had to be out of my comfort zone to grow. You can never grow if you are in the same spot. A good example is a seed. When a seed is planted the entire shell of the seed has to die (the shell breaks) in order for the plant to grow. The roots burst through the seed. The seed has to change its original form and shape so that it can become a beautiful plant. Now this is exactly what happens when we grow. God has an amazing plan for us, and He knows exactly what He has planned for us, but in order for those plans to come to place we need to die to ourselves. We need to embrace and endure the process of transformation.
Now how exactly does my crazy lecturer link to what I am saying? You see God has placed every single one of us under authority for a specific reason. God has placed us under these individuals so that we can learn, so that we can be pushed and tested.
My lecturer was very tough on me, and she demanded a lot from me, but when I look at it now, I was able to learn so much from her. I picked up some amazing habits and gained a lot of wisdom from her. I now don’t have to struggle as much as she did, because I learnt from her mistakes.
There is a blessing when we respect those that are above us.
Joshua was the 2nd in command after Moses. Moses is the guy that delivered God’s people out of Egypt. He did a lot for God, and had an amazing relationship with God. God had promised Moses a lot of stuff because of how obedient Moses was. Moses led his people for a very long time, and not once in the bible do we read about Joshua complaining about Moses. Not once do we read about Joshua wanting to take over from Moses. Moses eventually died, and Joshua was then responsible in leading his people to the promise land.
Joshua was a very faithful servant, and God saw that, and because he was a very faithful servant. All the blessings that God had given to Moses and all the promises that God promised Moses were automatically given to Joshua.
Joshua 1: 1-9
“After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and this entire people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. 3 every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. 4 from the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. 5 no man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success1 wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
God had promised Joshua all these things, because he was a faithful servant. Like I said before there is a blessing when we respectfully serve those that are in authority.
So next time you get discouraged, and are irritated with your boss, teacher, lecturer, parent or even your pastor just remember that God has placed them in your life for a specific reason. There is so much you can learn.
