During some of my drive time this week, I was thinking about my time working in a psychiatric hospital. It was something I NEVER, EVER, EVER planned to do. But when I felt led to go there to work and doors opened, I went. I would not trade that experience for anything. It gave me new perspectives on mental health. It taught me how to love people no matter what. It taught me to look at behaviors separately from the person. It taught me a lot about myself and how I handle things. Looking back, I see how it affected and led a path to where I am now.
A lot of times Jesus calls us to take steps without seeing where the road goes. Sometimes we take those steps and it leads to more steps in that direction, like when I worked in the psych hospital. Sometimes we take a step, and then doors close and we go on a different path. When I felt called to California, I planned on being there 10 months. When the situation changed and I felt like my time there was done 4 months in, I had to process and pray to make sure. I felt a little bit like I was giving up on the situation and I had to realize that it was not about my timing. It was about Jesus asking me to be obedient. Regardless of where the path leads afterwards, it is important to take the steps you are called to.
There are going to be a lot of times and moments where you wonder why the heck you are doing something.
Jesus is the master mapmaker.
When I am feeling unsure about if I'm on the right path, I dig back into the Word.
"Your Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." - Psalm 119:105
"You reveal the path of life to me; in Your Presence is abundant joy; in Your right hand are eternal pleasures." - Psalm 16:11
"My steps are on Your paths; my feet have not slipped." - Psalm 17:5
"He renews my life; He leads me along the right paths for His name's sake." - Psalm 23:3
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6
"I am teaching you the way of wisdom; I am guiding you on straight paths." - Psalm 4:11
"The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday." - Proverbs 4:18
"For a man's ways are before the Lord's eyes, and He considers all his paths." - Proverbs 5:21
"The path of the righteous is level; You clear a straight place for the righteous." - Isaiah 26:7
The more we practice following His promptings, the more clearly we start to hear Him. You never know the impact that one call, text, coffee date, move to a new place, or anything else He leads you to do, can have on your life or other peoples' lives.
I am learning to listen. There have been countless times that I have felt like I needed to send a "random" message or text to a particular person. I used to talk myself out of it, like "that would be weird to text them." Not anymore. I have seen Jesus move so much through small points of contact like that. Sometimes a person is going through a rough time, sometimes it just brightens up a day to let them know someone cares. You. Never. Know.
Personally, sometimes I get all worried at "what if's". "What if I wasn't really hearing from God when I sent that idea to that person?" "What if the person I feel like I am supposed to text thinks I'm weird?" "What if I completely screw up the girls retreat I am planning?"
So what if I send a random text and someone thinks I'm weird. Am I willing to risk not listening to Jesus? 99% of the time, our "what if's" don't happen and we just spent all that energy wasting it on worry. Most of the time, promptings aren't about you. They are about people God wants to reach through you.
I suppose I should explain what a prompting is, just in case you aren't sure. It's that little niggling in the back of your mind that you need to do something in particular. If you have the Holy Spirit in you, He speaks to you. If you don't feel you have the Holy Spirit in you, ask Him to fill your heart, mind, and soul and He will.
- What steps is Jesus calling you to take- big or small? A baby step is still a step.
- Reflect back on your life so far - thing about some times that the path didn't lead where you were expecting. How did that change you?
- Who is God placing in your life to impact?
- Be intentional.
- Make a list of people you feel led to have a coffee date, etc. with and schedule them.
- Get out of your comfort zone. I can never emphasis this enough.
"If you want to find the right road, follow many paths, be willing to try new things and don't be afraid to change the direction along the way. Leave the doors open."
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