Finding Direction

Was it really that simple? Is that all it took?

The past week has been a really confusing one for me. Talk about lost in the wilderness! It wasn’t so much that my world was falling apart, it was just really disoriented all of a sudden. At our Wednesday night Bible study, the congregation prayed that I would be strengthened on my journey through this dark and dry wilderness, and I think I have seen the light of day today. Actually, even two or three days ago I received direction as to what to do concerning the youth of LCCI. I was directed to move forward in teaching them on Wednesday nights. This was confirmed by a little prayer session on Saturday morning between Sandi, Pastor and myself, when I heard all the prayers for the youth to be drawn closer to You, and how they need to be brought in. Well, I now understand that when you bring them in, they need something to continuously develop them, and that’s where Your Holy Spirit comes into play through my life.

Also, last night I drove to PGA to a bookstore because they were the only store with a particular book in stock in the store and I really wanted to read some of it to consider if I needed to buy it or not. Well, in driving up to PGA and reading the first few pages in the book, I learned it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for, but instead, by reading another phrase in the book, it all made sense what I should be looking for instead. It was as if I drove out there by divine appointment, to pick up that book and learn of the direction I would be pursuing now. Strange how these things work out.

Today, I really felt freed of all this confusion. I now know that God wants me to glorify Him in my life, not just in my learning. I read in a book called “The Inner Life” where the writer says, “At the Day of Judgment, we shall not be asked what we have read, but what we have done.” He goes on to say that many doctors and masters of learning have died and they are but a memory, some not even attaining that in our minds. “If only the lives of these men had been as admirable as their learning, their study and reading would have been to good purpose!” the writer says.

This was exactly what I needed to hear! Only God would know this, and He had to guide me to this book a few weeks ago to bring this very thing to light today!

I have gained new direction in my life, not really concerned with the seemingly troublesome circumstances because I know God has it under control. But oh how wonderful it feels to know that You are in the will of God! How good it is to know that He knows my name and every thought! I didn’t realize that to gain clarity and direction all it took was listening while in the presence of God! In this case, I was just reading a book, but it was the fact that I opened up my heart to the voice of the Holy Spirit, and He used the words in this book to speak to me! Had I chosen to listen to music, He would have spoken to me though music. Had I decided to watch TV, He would have spoken to me though the TV. What is critical is that before I sat down, I said, “Holy Spirit speak to me.” I took this time to make myself consciously aware of the presence of God, and He showed up.

How simple was that? Too simple. One of the problems with “attaining to be learned” is that it’s the really simple things that evade us. We can miss what is right in front of our faces if we are not careful. Too much deep thought can drown us!

Thanks God, I really appreciate what You did for me today! I knew You wouldn’t leave me hangin’.