Even though I’m no longer traveling abroad, traveling through countries where I don’t speak the language, living in a country I have never been before, just trusting Him to lead me to know which train to get on, which direction to go, and where to get off, I am still following the exact same principles and trusting the same promises.
When He asked me to move up north, in a city and an enormous building complex, it was so much different than where I’ve ever lived. There are streets that curve every which way, busy sections, freeways intersecting all throughout the city and not surprisingly, I am living right in the center of all of it. And like most of us, I turn on my GPS whenever I need to go anywhere.
It wasn’t until I was willing to get lost by turning off my GPS and to quite literally get lost that my life here began to change and I began living abundantly.
Each time I ventured out, I chose to get lost and often found myself going in the wrong direction, so turned around, that it became a joke just to get myself back home from getting groceries! But I was determined to listen to the Lord, allow Him to be the one directing me and guiding me home. I wanted more than anything to get my bearings because when I had my GPS on it was almost like playing pin the tail on the donkey…. It felt like even though my eyes weren’t covered I was being spun around and around and around as my GPS would always take me this way or that way... down little obscure streets, turning back this way and then that way...spin, spin, spin— I never could tell whether I was going north, south, east or west.
Yet once I was willing to allow myself to get lost, to ignore my GPS, and turn it off completely, then later to turn it on and ignore it. Not until I was willing to go in the wrong directions, to find myself in a situation where I had no idea where I was or how I would get back. Not until then, was I unable to get my bearings.
Until I was willing to get lost, to regain my skills to be able to hear His voice as acutely, and when I was willing to allow Him to fully lead me (even having the GPS on and ignoring that voice), only then was my ability to follow Him so fine-tuned that I was able to do it without any effort. It became just instinctive as it had been when living abroad.
Find out next week how this impacted my life and while you wait, turn off all GPS systems in your life and in your head. With all that's happening now, it should be much easier to do because nothing now is normal as we are all in the midst of a world pandemic. A pandemic where Believers and especially His brides are meant to thrive. If there is one of His promises you need to use as your compass, probably one of the promises you are most probably familiar with, but what's recently taken on a whole new meaning.
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
Look for the good and that's the direction He's leading you to go. It's your beacon of light in the darkness. It's His light guiding you to Him and around every obstacle and pothole and landmine. Couple this with praise and you'll be living the most incredible Abundant Life beyond your dreams—right in the midst of chaos and crises.
“Now glory be to God, who by His mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes.” Ephesians 3:20 TLB
Unleashing the TRUTH
wonderful, this principle has been so true in my life. Time and time again, when I’m willing to get lost, let go of any and all my own hopes and expectations, that’s when He moves.
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” R828
If there was one emotion I most consistently felt in my mothering and my country life, it was this one- I frequently felt lost and alone. Even now, as I abide in My Beloved so closely, I still have seasons where I feel alone. I believe it is a trap from the enemy, so the Lord has led me to overcome it by singing to Him.
As this lesson shares, I will get lost in several seasons of my life, only to find Him again!
I put myself down in those lonely, lost seasons, looking up and only to Him for everything!
This last year, I found myself lost so many times, and He lovingly directed me to spend more time in His word, reading, repeating, and writing it on my walls and heart!!
When I feel lost, I sing powerful songs that remind me that My Beloved is always with me and helping me every step of the way. It helps! It reminds me that I am under the wings of the most High and that because I surrender He can be totally in control!
I now understand that I am not alone. Even though I feel alone and isolated, I am never alone.
On my darkest days, the Lord is with me. On my best days, the Lord is with me.
He wants me to come to Him with my problems- my loneliness, my isolation, my failures, my fear and anxiety, my sickness, my marriage problems, my insecurities with my kids- everything.
He longs for me to turn to Him; He will help me. I ask Him for ideas and strategies to help me in this season.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” I4110 NIV
Instead of listening to the voice of the accuser telling me there is no hope for me, I run to My Beloved! There is always hope with Him. I have watched Him take the broken fragments of my life and make them into something beautiful. It’s what He does best!