“For we live by believing and not by seeing.” 2 Corinthians 5:7
Within the last few days I have been noticing a theme of faithfulness. Even in one of my devotionals this morning (‘Experiencing God’ by Blackaby) it talked about being faithful in praying and allowing the Lord to reveal greater insight to you while waiting for His answer[s]. Also reading ‘The Resolution for Woman’ by Shirer, the section I’m currently in is talking about being faithfully His and how to live that out in your everyday life. It challenges you to look at areas of your life and see if you are living in a way that reveals and reflects the act of being faithful and trusting in what and where He is calling you to be/do.
This takes me back to a couple of my own experiences and how it challenged me to be faithful and obedient to what I felt like the Lord was calling me to do even though my future would change and I had no idea what things would look like. Not even a glimpse.
Spring 2013: My fourth semester of college I found myself in the comfort of having food, shelter, a job that paid my schooling, no real need for a vehicle, no bills and a community through living on campus. I also found myself struggling with the college I attended, my relationship with God not growing as much as I would like it to, not being able to be myself for fear of getting kicked out of my school and unsure of my calling to being a Nurse due to the hard core programme I would be starting the next semester.
I talked to the Lord about how the future I thought He might have for me was not what I wanted because of the challenges the next three years would bring. I began to dread pursuing this path of becoming a Nurse and for those of you who know that my heart is for people, reveals that I had fear and lack of trust in the Lord in my life at that point. I wanted to throw in the towel and find something that was easier to do. Not once did I think that the Lord might keep me on this path to Nursing, but delay me and challenge me to have faith and trust He would take care of me, all the while getting me there.
Spring break came around and I felt the Lord speaking and revealing to me that He was calling me to leave my college and comforts and the path to becoming a Registered Nurse (RN) to transfer to a different college to become a Practical Nurse (LPN). I researched and prayed about it and felt a stirring within me to venture down this new and unknown path, but not fully trusting and believing this was really the Lord’s guiding hand in my life because it was difficult to see how things could really work out. I had doubts in how this could all fall into place. I mean to transfer meant I would need a job for income, a car to get to class and my job, a place to live, new bills to pay, food to buy and especially to be accepted into the LPN programme. Was this crazy and selfish of me? What would people think if I did this? Was this really His calling for me?
As time went on and I continued to semi-follow this calling to transfer schools, the Lord proved Himself to me time and time again. All within a couple of months, He provided me: a car, acceptance into the new college, and two roommates in a great apartment. The only thing I did not have was a job – my future financial income to make all this possible. I had applied to numerous places and failed to hear from anyone. So, I had begun to create my plan B, just in case God’s plan A didn’t fully come through.
Four weeks before the semester ended, I was feeling anxious and unsure and began to doubt that I had heard the Lord correctly. I did feel this strong urge one day to step blindly into faith and believe WHOLE-heartedly He would provide a job for me. I was terrified. But I officially filled out papers that indicated I would be leaving at the end of the semester. There was no going back now. Literally, the next day, I got a call from a camp in Lake of the Ozarks to come be a counselor over the summer! Not only did He blow me away by providing me that job, but He provided me a second job back in Branson that would start once I finished at the camp!
I couldn’t believe how simple this whole thing could have been if I had just whole-heartedly trusted the Lord sooner and that He would take care of me. BUT He knew that this was the most effective way I would grow in my faith in Him and how I would learn to be faithful to what He calls me to do. I have learned that I will not be perfect to hold fast the Lord’s will for my life, but I will do so persistently.
What has He called you to do? Has the Lord called you to lead a Bible study? or talk to and reach out to a co-worker? or bless someone (friend or stranger) financially by paying for their meal? or leave your job even if it might look like it could become a financial burden? or to get involved more in the [church] community? or take time off of school? If you have felt this inner stirring to do something that seems strange to those around you and might scare the heck out of you, let me encourage you by saying – pray about it and take a step or leap of faith to see what the Lord will do!
While you strive to follow this calling in your life, there will be difficulties and challenges along the way. You might stumble off course several times and feel guilt and regret, but guess what? You are not perfect, but you are purposeful. Take the challenge to step out in faith to what the Lord is calling you to do and see how the he will work in your life!
