“I’m just waiting for God to give me direction.”
“God says ‘yes,’ ‘no’ or ‘wait.’ Right now, I’m waiting.”
“I don’t want to get ahead of God.”
We’ve all said these things. They’re part of our “Christian-ese,” our "church-speak."
But are they true? Biblical? Helpful? Or error . . . even folklore?
“Waiting for God is incarnate unbelief if it means I have no faith in Him: I wait for Him to do something in me that I may trust in that,” says Oswald Chambers. “God will not do it, because that is not the basis of the man-God relationship.”
We want a sign. A dry fleece. A burning bush. We want to know this is God’s will before we move.
Chambers continues . . .
“We have faith only in our feelings. I do not believe God unless He will give me something in my hand whereby I may know I have it, then I say, ‘Now, I believe.’ There is no faith there.”
My wife and I are in the midst of making a big decision. We’ve sensed God’s direction and have been moving with Him, even though it seems risky, somewhat irrational . . . even painful. Because it’ll bring death to some things we’re comfortable in right now.
Then last Sunday, there’s this great sermon about obedience. “Life is only made possible when something dies,” he says. “Life always comes from obedience … The pain of obedience always leads to the promise of obedience … Losing something to obedience brings meaning to that loss.”
That’s a lot of pressure on obedience. Means we’d better hear Him right. Better know that’s His voice. I think, “You have to get this one right, Regi!”
So, I go to the Lord the next morning. “Lord, I need more than your permission. I need your instruction. I need a command. I need an order to obey!”
Here’s what gets written in my journal:
“Regi, I’m not going to take all the mystery out of this. Look at how your feelings have changed as you’ve talked with me about this decision. Look at how Miriam’s feelings have changed. Look at how your feelings have changed about other alternatives. Look at the peace you have. You have to trust me.”
Chambers one last time . . .
“Why does God not do this and that? He has done it, the point is – will I step into covenant relationship? All the great blessings of God are finished and complete, but they are not mine until I enter into relationship with Him on the basis of His covenant.”
. . . which takes us back to His timelessness and His love. He’s already written the script. He knows how it all turns out. His covenant says He loves me, He is with me and will never forsake me. It’s up to me to live my life one day at a time, move forward in faith, and trust Him for every outcome.
Question: Is there something He’s called you to do? Are you waiting, wasting or walking?
