Monday, January 25, 2010

Following vs. Leading

I will readily admit that I am a follower rather than a leader. Always have been. For better and for worse. Why is it, then, that when it comes to following God's direction I fail so miserably? Conflicting with this follower part of my personality is my incessant need to have a plan. So while it should be easy for me to just up and follow where God would have me go and to do what he would have me do, I often don't take the time to wait for His best for me simply because I have to know NOW. I tend to run on ahead and make my plans because for a split second it makes me feel better to know I have a direction. What I don't take into account is that God's direction is so much better than what I could plot out for myself.
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

In my devotional today by Cynthia Heald this was exactly the topic. "How often," she asks, "do we take the time to be assured of God's leadership, direction, and presence as we go on our way?" Also, she says, "Too often I mistakenly think that I don't have time to wait for the Lord's guidance." That is so me! I want to run on ahead of him because I'm too impaitent or anxious to wait for what he would have me do.

With some big decisions looming on the horizon and some anxiety that I been feeling, I am challenged anew to stop, wait, and follow.

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." Psalm 27:14

1 comment:

Jess said...

The hardest thing I struggle with in life is being comfortable while being in a place where there are seemingly no answers and no directions. I think we are so trained to have the right answers and to know what is next that it is a push to truly just BE in the discomfort of the unknown. However, it is in those moments where I just take moments to not fight the anxiety, the worry, the overwhelming tasks ahead- but instead embrace them in the moment that the answers just come..... I def. feel your pain and so wish we could just sit down and talk- perhaps we'll leave all the boys with Russ that Monday morning and go for a coffee :) Think he would survive?