Where is God Leading Me?
In the previous post, I referred to Is. 43:18-19, "The Lord says, 'Forget about what happened before, and do not think about the past. Look at the new thing I am going to do. It is already happening. Don't you see it?'"
The New Year often inspires fresh starts and renewed motivation to know better, do better and be better. I wouldn't encourage doing a new thing for new thing's sake, or jumping onto a bandwagon out of peer pressure or obligation, but it's healthy to be tied loosely enough to our current situation that we're open to new possibilities.
Sometimes we become so comfortable where we are, that we don't relish opportunities to leave that place. Or, maybe we think we're too old, too unprepared, too messed up, too fill in the blank, for the new and different. I'm not particularly comfortable with it myself, but I've also come to a place where it's very clear that God is guiding me away from the familiar, into something quite different. Doors have opened to different personal and physical needs, different people, different sources of inspiration, and doors have closed/slammed to others, so as to nudge me more firmly than usual. It's caused a bit of sadness, but now that I'm getting tired of being sad, the Lord has captured my curiosity. I've decided to see where he will lead me if I don't try to plan or make things happen, but instead go where he leads me day by day. Literally, a day at a time. No programs, agendas or habits from the past to latch onto, just Him and me, doing new things together. Sounds interesting, yea even liberating!
Maybe because I'm in the midst of this mysterious transition, some scriptures have hit me in a powerful way. So, I offer up my new perspective of these passages, as you determine where God may be leading you this year.
Consider your Gifts
Some people have no trouble at all pinpointing their own spiritual gifts and special talents. If you are not one of those people, honestly think about where you've been successful in life. Ask God to reveal to you how he has gifted you. Consider when others have been complimentary of you, or think about what comes easily to you that other people struggle to accomplish.
Another way God guides us is through a deep need, a desire of the heart, that we can't ignore. Sometimes it starts with a general dissatisfaction, which many times we attempt to resolve in the wrong ways. Sit with God, and ask him to search your heart and identify the need he has placed deep within. That has helped me as I seek His will. Psalm 37:4-5 says, "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this..."
Lastly, God prepares us through experience. Think about a certain perspective, understanding or practical skill you've gained by way of personal, life or work experiences.
Seek Your Calling
In Luke 4:16-30, Jesus returned to his hometown synagogue and told the people that he was the fulfillment of the scripture that foretold the Messiah. He knew they expected him to perform miracles as he had done in Capernaum. He also knew that they did not believe his message. He reminded them that there were many widows in the days of the great famine, but the prophet Elijah was only sent to one. And certainly there were many who had leprosy in Elisha's time, but he only cleansed Naaman. Upon hearing this, the crowd became enraged and tried to kill Jesus.
Verse 14 says that Jesus was being led by the Spirit, doing what his Father called him to do. He knew the hearts of his neighbors. And they revealed their unbelieving hearts when they heard him say in essence, that he would not be "performing" for them. Then as verse 30 says, he went on his way.
Interestingly, he had been prepared for the temptation to "prove himself," in the desert. He knew that was not his mission...and it isn't ours. Opportunities arise from everywhere, and they might all be good. We must seek the guidance of the Spirit and know where He is calling us, to accomplish no will but the Lord's. If we respond "yes" to every good thing that comes along, we will soon be overwhelmed and burned out. If we perform many tasks to stay busy, to make others happy, to be seen, or to check Christian service off our list, we will become mired in legalism, and focused on the gratitude and praise of others or pride in ourselves, rather than the worship and service to the only One who is worthy. We are capable of many things, but only God knows what He made us to do. When we follow his lead and we are doing that for which we were uniquely made, the fulfillment will far exceed that of any other task. Rather than proving ourselves, we are proving Him, which is our ultimate calling.
Don't Force It
Luke 10:5-6, 8-11 says, "Whenever you enter someone's home, first say, 'May God's peace be on this house.' If those who live there are peaceful, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you...If you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you. Heal the sick, and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you now.' But if a town refuses to welcome you...say, 'We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet...'"
The first few years of my adult life, I was an event organizer, I taught a ladies' bible study, and I wrote church newsletters. The opportunities to do these things fell in my lap, and I happily did them. I enjoyed it, and I was encouraged by others that I did it well. So that was my niche. Each time we moved (3 new states/cities/churches in 6 years), the same opportunities appeared, which affirmed me in my continued assumption of those roles. Then we moved again, and things changed. We became part of a larger church family, and those roles were already firmly assumed. I was fine with that, because I was tired. It was time to recharge, to receive, and to rebuild relationships in our new place. The doors were not open for the old, so I let that go and found a different path. It wasn't as dramatic as shaking the dust off my feet, but it was a closed door and I found other open doors.
There have been moments in life when I tried to reach a person or group, and they didn't agree with or receive enthusiastically, what I was offering. That sometimes resulted in a hit to my confidence as the giver. Also, several times I had a great idea, pursued it, and it fell flat. My attempts felt like a struggle, then ultimately whatever it was, fizzled out. I've learned that not every great idea comes when the time is right, and not every great idea should be pursued. I've learned that over and over. And over. As I re-live those stages of my life, it's clear to me why I had such confidence when I was younger, and less as I've gotten older. I have more failure in my rear view mirror. Alas, more attempts yield more failures. Such is life!
Jesus told his disciples, as long as you are sharing my message, while you travel to different homes and towns, there will be times when you and the message are well-received. Use those opportunities well. There will also be times when you are not well-received, not welcomed at all. Don't take it personally; move on. Just because you put it out there, doesn't mean others will jump on board.
The fact that some of my attempts didn't pan out doesn't make me less capable, and it doesn't mean they weren't good ideas. (Maybe the problem was that some were my ideas, not His.) Jesus told his disciples look, you won't always be received with a parade and treated to feasts. It's okay. Show up anyway. But don't force it. Instead of bearing the heavy load of feeling inferior, inadequate, frustrated or discouraged, I'm learning to see a failed attempt as a nudging from God in a different direction. Instead of throwing up my hands in disgust, I now spend more time alone with him, seeking His direction. When He inspires and I follow, there will be fruit. Where there is fruit, confidence is built, but in the right source. My confidence is in God's power manifested in me, not in my own ability.
The scattering of Jesus' disciples was I'm sure, discouraging to many of them. But God's greater plan was to spread the gospel, and the gospel was in the people. So when I feel "scattered," yes, it's uncomfortable and a little disconcerting, but it's time to consider what is inside me, that God is shifting elsewhere, for his greater purpose. Imagine the testimony we could have if we stop seeking our own glory or others' approval, and let his Spirit lead, and His power fuel the steps we take in our lives!
The New Year often inspires fresh starts and renewed motivation to know better, do better and be better. I wouldn't encourage doing a new thing for new thing's sake, or jumping onto a bandwagon out of peer pressure or obligation, but it's healthy to be tied loosely enough to our current situation that we're open to new possibilities.
Sometimes we become so comfortable where we are, that we don't relish opportunities to leave that place. Or, maybe we think we're too old, too unprepared, too messed up, too fill in the blank, for the new and different. I'm not particularly comfortable with it myself, but I've also come to a place where it's very clear that God is guiding me away from the familiar, into something quite different. Doors have opened to different personal and physical needs, different people, different sources of inspiration, and doors have closed/slammed to others, so as to nudge me more firmly than usual. It's caused a bit of sadness, but now that I'm getting tired of being sad, the Lord has captured my curiosity. I've decided to see where he will lead me if I don't try to plan or make things happen, but instead go where he leads me day by day. Literally, a day at a time. No programs, agendas or habits from the past to latch onto, just Him and me, doing new things together. Sounds interesting, yea even liberating!
Maybe because I'm in the midst of this mysterious transition, some scriptures have hit me in a powerful way. So, I offer up my new perspective of these passages, as you determine where God may be leading you this year.
Consider your Gifts
Some people have no trouble at all pinpointing their own spiritual gifts and special talents. If you are not one of those people, honestly think about where you've been successful in life. Ask God to reveal to you how he has gifted you. Consider when others have been complimentary of you, or think about what comes easily to you that other people struggle to accomplish.
Another way God guides us is through a deep need, a desire of the heart, that we can't ignore. Sometimes it starts with a general dissatisfaction, which many times we attempt to resolve in the wrong ways. Sit with God, and ask him to search your heart and identify the need he has placed deep within. That has helped me as I seek His will. Psalm 37:4-5 says, "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this..."
Lastly, God prepares us through experience. Think about a certain perspective, understanding or practical skill you've gained by way of personal, life or work experiences.
Seek Your Calling
In Luke 4:16-30, Jesus returned to his hometown synagogue and told the people that he was the fulfillment of the scripture that foretold the Messiah. He knew they expected him to perform miracles as he had done in Capernaum. He also knew that they did not believe his message. He reminded them that there were many widows in the days of the great famine, but the prophet Elijah was only sent to one. And certainly there were many who had leprosy in Elisha's time, but he only cleansed Naaman. Upon hearing this, the crowd became enraged and tried to kill Jesus.
Verse 14 says that Jesus was being led by the Spirit, doing what his Father called him to do. He knew the hearts of his neighbors. And they revealed their unbelieving hearts when they heard him say in essence, that he would not be "performing" for them. Then as verse 30 says, he went on his way.
Interestingly, he had been prepared for the temptation to "prove himself," in the desert. He knew that was not his mission...and it isn't ours. Opportunities arise from everywhere, and they might all be good. We must seek the guidance of the Spirit and know where He is calling us, to accomplish no will but the Lord's. If we respond "yes" to every good thing that comes along, we will soon be overwhelmed and burned out. If we perform many tasks to stay busy, to make others happy, to be seen, or to check Christian service off our list, we will become mired in legalism, and focused on the gratitude and praise of others or pride in ourselves, rather than the worship and service to the only One who is worthy. We are capable of many things, but only God knows what He made us to do. When we follow his lead and we are doing that for which we were uniquely made, the fulfillment will far exceed that of any other task. Rather than proving ourselves, we are proving Him, which is our ultimate calling.
Don't Force It
Luke 10:5-6, 8-11 says, "Whenever you enter someone's home, first say, 'May God's peace be on this house.' If those who live there are peaceful, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you...If you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you. Heal the sick, and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you now.' But if a town refuses to welcome you...say, 'We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet...'"
The first few years of my adult life, I was an event organizer, I taught a ladies' bible study, and I wrote church newsletters. The opportunities to do these things fell in my lap, and I happily did them. I enjoyed it, and I was encouraged by others that I did it well. So that was my niche. Each time we moved (3 new states/cities/churches in 6 years), the same opportunities appeared, which affirmed me in my continued assumption of those roles. Then we moved again, and things changed. We became part of a larger church family, and those roles were already firmly assumed. I was fine with that, because I was tired. It was time to recharge, to receive, and to rebuild relationships in our new place. The doors were not open for the old, so I let that go and found a different path. It wasn't as dramatic as shaking the dust off my feet, but it was a closed door and I found other open doors.
There have been moments in life when I tried to reach a person or group, and they didn't agree with or receive enthusiastically, what I was offering. That sometimes resulted in a hit to my confidence as the giver. Also, several times I had a great idea, pursued it, and it fell flat. My attempts felt like a struggle, then ultimately whatever it was, fizzled out. I've learned that not every great idea comes when the time is right, and not every great idea should be pursued. I've learned that over and over. And over. As I re-live those stages of my life, it's clear to me why I had such confidence when I was younger, and less as I've gotten older. I have more failure in my rear view mirror. Alas, more attempts yield more failures. Such is life!
Jesus told his disciples, as long as you are sharing my message, while you travel to different homes and towns, there will be times when you and the message are well-received. Use those opportunities well. There will also be times when you are not well-received, not welcomed at all. Don't take it personally; move on. Just because you put it out there, doesn't mean others will jump on board.
The fact that some of my attempts didn't pan out doesn't make me less capable, and it doesn't mean they weren't good ideas. (Maybe the problem was that some were my ideas, not His.) Jesus told his disciples look, you won't always be received with a parade and treated to feasts. It's okay. Show up anyway. But don't force it. Instead of bearing the heavy load of feeling inferior, inadequate, frustrated or discouraged, I'm learning to see a failed attempt as a nudging from God in a different direction. Instead of throwing up my hands in disgust, I now spend more time alone with him, seeking His direction. When He inspires and I follow, there will be fruit. Where there is fruit, confidence is built, but in the right source. My confidence is in God's power manifested in me, not in my own ability.
The scattering of Jesus' disciples was I'm sure, discouraging to many of them. But God's greater plan was to spread the gospel, and the gospel was in the people. So when I feel "scattered," yes, it's uncomfortable and a little disconcerting, but it's time to consider what is inside me, that God is shifting elsewhere, for his greater purpose. Imagine the testimony we could have if we stop seeking our own glory or others' approval, and let his Spirit lead, and His power fuel the steps we take in our lives!
 |
| Photo by Paul Varnum on Unsplash |
Comments