I shared how I had built a successful business while running from my calling in the Lord. I do think it was blessed by the Lord, because He will do all He can to bless us, even if we are not being perfectly obedient. However, as we see throughout the Scriptures, the Lord will bless many things He will not inhabit. Good can be the worst enemy of best, and there can be a great difference between good and best. We are all given the freedom to make this choice. Romans 12:2 exhorts,

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

         Here we see that the will of God can be “good and acceptable” or “perfect.” We can choose the “good and acceptable” and still be in His will and have a good and fruitful life. There is no condemnation for this, but rather blessing, and an eternal reward far greater than we can even imagine. But the Apostle Paul saw something much greater that he was running the race for, which he called “the high calling of God in Christ.” Even near the end of his life, he was still in focused pursuit of this (see Philippians 3).

         In Revelation 7 we see a “great company” from every tribe and tongue before the throne of God worshiping Him. These will be happier than we can even imagine in this life. However, in Revelation 3:21 we are told that those who overcome will be with Him “on His throne.” There is a high calling any believer can run the race for, but even if we choose to play it safe and take the easy way, the rewards of accepting the atonement of Christ and living in obedience to Him are beyond comprehension.

         When I looked at the road my calling would lead me on, it was filled with dangers. The “acceptable” path seemed safe. Neither path is without challenges, but to follow my commission was going to have many more. The “acceptable” path was a proven path with many walking it and succeeding by just following the well-defined business principles. The other was hardly travelled at all, led into the most dangerous territory, and it seemed one could, at best, only see a few steps at a time.

         What would cause anyone to choose the hard road? The same thing that caused Abraham to choose it—he had a vision of a city God was building that would far eclipse anything man could build.

         Being a part of what God is building is worth the risk. Even if you fail, it would be worth it to try. It is an eternal city. Pursuing it may or may not enable us to enjoy much here, but it was so compelling that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were all willing to live in tents, when they were wealthy enough to have built great palaces. Their vision was on things above, not what they could have here. They were not interested in what they could build here because they had seen something else that was so great.

         This is the vision that has compelled every true sojourner since Abraham. To follow this vision is the greatest adventure one can experience in this life. But like all true adventures, it is not safe. It is fraught with dangers that require a constant expansion of our faith, wisdom, and understanding, but most of all, walking continually closer to God.