Recently my college's equine department hosted a horse whisperer, Chance Hill, from SPURS Ministries. SPURS is an acronym for Submit, Peace, Understanding, Respect, and Serve. These five things are very important in our walk with God. Chance Hill takes a very unique approach to the gospel in comparing it with training a young horse, explaining how the five things listed above are important to training a young horse as well. Here is how it is important to us:
1. Submit
Submitting to God's plan for our life can be very difficult. I have a tendancy to plan ahead for my life without asking God about it first. My freshman year of college knocked me flat on my face and was a harsh reminder to me that God's has a plan for me and it's one that I need to submit to. Once I submitted to His plan for me though, a weight was lifted off my shoulders. How comforting is it to know that the same God who created the entire world has a plan for us?
2. Peace
Submitting to God's plan and being at peace with it are two entirely different things. How often do we find ourselves getting restless with our direction and asking God if He's really sure about this. I know I do. I have questioned this plan numerous times. Am I really cut out to be a counselor? A youth counselor? It's times like these that I am reminded that God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called. He is preparing me every single day for His plan.
3. Understanding
I've always known that whatever the direction, whatever the plan, my work would somehow include horses. I wasn't sure how exactly that was going to happen, but I knew it would. Going into my freshman year of college I finally understood. God led me to a school that would prepare me to work with people in a way I had never imagined. Using equine assisted therapy I would be able to pair my love of horses with helping people.
4. Respect
Respect was always a very big part of my life. Respect your parents, teachers, coaches, friends, siblings, etc. To me, a large part of the problems we have today are linked to a lack of respect for each other and for human life in general. Just like we must respect God in our walk with Him, we also must respect the people around us.
5. Serve
"Here I am. Send me!" This is part of the verse found in Isaiah 6:8. God didn't just pick out this big plan for us for the fun of it. Ultimately we are placed where we will make a difference and where we will be able show God's love to other people. He tells us in Matthew to follow Him and He will make us fishers of men. We are here to serve God and glorify Him with the talents with which we are blessed.
I thought that I had everything all figured out and that I was doing what I was supposed to be doing in order to follow God's plan. This ministry, SPURS, used five simple words to remind me that I can't just go through the motions. God has placed so many people and opportunities in my life, all of which are shaping me and preparing me for a bigger purpose than what I see in the smaller picture.
