This is a two-part series on following God. Part 2 will be posted July 6, 2017.
OK! Sometimes we are wrong. But when we surrender ourselves to God and things go wrong in the process it doesn't always mean we are wrong. God has a way of charting our course in ways that make absolutely no sense to us. Sometimes the Lord allows us the opportunity to have experiences vs. experiencing the BIG event. For instance, I remember applying for a position that I thought was amazing at a prestigious institution. I had the right recommendations - but I did not get the job! I was devastated. Though God's plan did not include me getting the job I desired and was heartbroken because of this loss; I learned that God's plan is better than my wildest dreams. I learned that trusting Him will never be wrong even if following Him means that I don't get what I want.
In a world full of people who are self-led professionally, academically, financially, spiritually, and personally it is a radical act of resistance to follow God instead of self. Most of us were taught and socialized to be leaders. But, if we are all leaders who exactly is following? I think following requires skills that a healthy leader possess. Skills like active listening, communicating in ways that honor everyone's voice, being motivated, asking and giving feedback, radical creativity and being accountable to the people you are leading. Do we really know how to lead well if we have never been a good follower?
If we want to be great leaders in the Body of Christ, we have to follow and follow well.
God is not bossy although God does know what & how to do EVERYTHING at all times and could carry out the functions of everyday without our help. I believe God enjoys how we interact with Him in carrying out His missions. For this very reason The Lord invites us to participate in executing countless missions all day/everyday! Sometimes the very mission that God invites us to participate in is to take courage, be still and follow. Sometimes the mission is to accept how He loves us. Sometimes the mission is to lose a race. Sometimes the mission to mourn the death of a loved one, to fight through chronic illness, or surviving poverty. Sometimes the mission He invites us to participate in is to not give up on His timing!
The truth is that when we follow God's leading it is quite possible that the outcome will be amazing but the journey, tumultuous. There is no guarantee that when we submit our way to God that we will be walking on beds of roses or that we will vacation in Bora Bora.
We might experience a whole lot of painful, uncomfortable and terrible episodes as we follow God but it doesn't mean that we are wrong for following!
So, expect calamity. Expect disruptions. Expect sadness. Expect disappointments as you follow God. These and other types of disturbances are part of the human experience. And, expect safety. Expect calm. Expect peace. Expect victory as you follow God radically. Expect God to use the calamity, disruption, sadness, and disappointment to beautify you, because following The Lord makes you more beautiful every single time!
Stay tuned for part 2 of this series tomorrow!
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