Isaiah 32:9; You women who are so complacent, rise up and listen to me; you daughters who feel secure, hear what I have to say!
Wow! Certainly not what I expected God to be sharing with me this week, but then again perhaps I need to leave the guiding and directing to Him and just allow Him to be who He is... God. What do you think? Sometimes God is so clear in preparing me in writing for this blog and other times waits until I'm very still and lets me know He has a message to share with me, for me, and for someone reading it at just the right moment.
The past couple of months there have been a lot of "unknowns" thrown into my life causing me to question where I am and where I am to be. It seems this always begins to happen when I grow comfortable and complacent in life in any one area or sometimes in several areas. God reminds me that this isn't my permanent home and I'm pretty much as the song says, A wayfaring stranger. I have a purpose to fulfill, wherever and whatever that may be. That's hard sometimes for me. I love serving in the body of Christ but I'm also a planner and have an analytical mind (just as God designed) which means that sometimes I get in my own way. Are any of you like that? Do you ever trip over your own feet down the path God lays out before you? Some days it completely seems like I have two left feet!
I reflected earlier this week in all the wonderful ways God has asked me to serve since becoming a Christian as a young girl. He has gifted me and regifted me time and time again for the things He'd have me to do. It's taken me quite a few years to recognize some of the larger portions of the puzzle of my life and how they all fell together in a way that other than God's purpose wouldn't make sense to anyone watching it. When you hear people say that God works in mysterious ways.... I have no doubts in that! While going through a situation or simply living life you often can't see how it has much to do with anything. Give it some time, pray about it if you care to and then see how all things truly do work together for the glory of God. You may just be amazed at how God has woven life for you, just don't get too comfortable because this isn't your permanent home either.
The word says, "Rise Up and Listen". I believe that is what God is sharing with me now in these moments of life to not grow complacent but to continue to rise up and listen. To have my ears tuned into his direction, not to grow comfortable but to be ready whether it is to stay the course or to change direction. It's not always easy to change and sometimes it really doesn't make sense but where in scripture does it say that it will? I've been changed by changes. I've had opportunities to have different jobs, different ministries and different relationships. God has never allowed me to grow stagnant that is for certain. I've normally accepted changing jobs fairly easily. Changing ministries was a bit harder, especially when I couldn't see myself filling the role. Changing relationships, well that has been one of the hardest. God designed me to be a relational being, connecting and building friendships along life's road. While in one of those friendships I could never imagine that we'd ever go different ways or lose touch but something whether it's physical proximity or different goals draws us apart. That kind of change is hard for me but necessary to fulfill my role. Sometimes in my "comfortableness" (is that a word?) I begin to lose my listening skills. My comfort comes from the Lord and in Him alone should I find a comfortable place not in any one place or any one relationship formed here. When He calls we simply need to be ready to answer Here I am Lord, send me.
What areas of life have you become comfortable and complacent to the point that you'd wrestle with God if He told you today to leave it behind? Would it be a home, a town, a church or maybe a relationship or family that would make you not rise up and listen to His call? Do not become comfortable, this is not your permanent home. Rise when He says rise and be ready to move ahead.
Blessings,
Heather
