Have you ever prayed for God to give you clear direction on something in life? I have. Then I wait for His answer. I think the waiting period can be the most difficult part because while we know there is a next step, we don’t know what it is, when it will be, or how God is going to lead. Friends, this is what makes following God both exciting and challenging. Today, I’m going to share an important decision God has made for my life. His decision has forced me to regroup, refocus, and prepare.
True Story Ahead
Two weeks ago, I was told my job at Bethel University was eliminated. I sat across the table from the person informing me, hearing the decision. Peace was within me. Silently I thanked God for His answer to my year-long prayer, to a specific prayer.
“Lord, make it clear to me when You want me to leave Bethel. I know You have a plan. I will work diligently serving You at Bethel until I hear loud and clear it is time to move on. I will not make one effort to leave until I know 100% You want me to leave and when.”
Friends, it doesn’t get any clearer than, “Your job is eliminated.”
Prayer Journey
You may be wondering why I would pray such a prayer. Asking God to reveal to me when I was to leave Bethel may seem strange. I suppose to many it is strange. After all, I just celebrated 10 years of service at Bethel. I liked my job. I was good at my job. I championed employee engagement, recognition and appreciation, and Strengths development. Why would I pray to leave a job I enjoyed and was good at?
Because I knew in my heart and soul, the Holy Spirit was stirring within me, preparing me to let go and move forward with God. I just didn’t know who, what, when, where, why, or how.
I’ve felt this stirring before many times in my life. Once you experience the Holy Spirit stirring within you, you don’t NOT notice it. You have to act on this prompting. For me, it meant praying, telling God I’m ready when He’s ready no matter what He decides or when He decides. I trust God. I placed this decision in His hands. Then I waited and continued working.
The Wilderness Journey
I don’t believe in coincidences. Therefore, when I felt the prompting to join the women’s Bible study at church this fall after taking all last year off, I joined, not even knowing what the study would be.
Oh, I love God’s perfect timing. We are studying Priscilla Shirer’s One in a Million: Journey to Your Promised Land.
Welcome to the wilderness!
I never would have known as we began this Bible study, that I would be entering a wilderness journey again with God.
Even after hearing that my job was eliminated, I didn’t connect that I was about to enter the wilderness. I even had some women in my small group ask me about it. I proudly said, “No, I don’t feel like I’m entering the wilderness.”
Friends, that’s because I misunderstood the difference between being in the desert with being in the wilderness. The day I read in Shirer’s book the difference, is the day I realized, I am entering the wilderness.
Shirer noted, “While a desert and a wilderness may appear similar, a closer look reveals a huge difference. A wilderness is peppered with oases, places of hope for the weary traveler. A desert is a barren expanse that can support little life or vegetation” (p. 53).
I equated the desert experience to be the same as the wilderness experience, but they are vastly different.
A desert is a desolate and forbidding area, pretty much void of sustaining life. People and animals die in deserts. But the wilderness is an untraveled path filled with life, sustenance, and protection. If you think about our nation’s wilderness areas, we protect these areas from intrusive things like roads and buildings. We protect these nature areas to continue the eco system and sustain the life and growth happening there. Like Shirer stated, the wilderness is filled with oases and hope.
I’m not in the desert, which is why I answered the way I did. I’m not entering a forbidden area. Rather, I’m entering a God-ordained wilderness, which is filled with hope, protection, life, and growth. God is leading me. I am following.
The Bible says:
“In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” – Proverbs 16:9
“I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.” – Isaiah 48:17
I believe God is directing me. God is about to make a path out of the pathless. Like He led the Israelites through the wilderness into the Promised Land, I believe God is doing the same for me.
Here’s something I’ve learned from the Israelites journey though. They had to travel far too long in their wilderness journey because they complained.
In my wilderness journey, there will be no complaining allowed.
So when I say I’m okay. I mean I am okay. I have the greatest Guide there has ever been or ever will be: God Himself.
Regroup, Refocus, Prepare
Unlike the Israelites, I had time to prepare to leave Bethel. For the last two weeks, I finished many projects I was in the midst of, transferred folders and assignments to others, trained my fellow HR colleagues as best as I could, and thanked many people who partnered with me at my time at Bethel.
But now I am officially done at Bethel University, and God has provided a new mission for me:
It’s time to regroup, refocus, and prepare to continue my journey with Him.
I have to give Priscilla Shirer credit for this insight. As I was completing the final lesson for week two of our Bible study, these words jumped off the page: “…regroup, refocus, and prepare to continue the journey” (p. 52).
In the margin of the book, I wrote, “This is where I’m at now.”
What does this practically mean for me?
Regroup
- I’ll be reorganizing, literally.
- My writing room became the dump zone as each day I brought things home from my Bethel office. You’d be amazed how much you can collect in 10 years.
- I bought a new MacBook. I’m beginning to learn how to navigate a Mac after using a PC for 10 years. I’ll be organizing many things in my new Mac.
- I’m reorganizing our finances.
- I’m reorganizing how I spend my time.
Refocus
I’m changing the emphasis of my employment direction. Not sure what that looks like yet. After all, that’s what refocus means, but you can be sure there will be some changes coming soon on my social media.
I plan to focus again on deep prayer, pursuing God’s next step for me. I will be closely listening to Him. Like I’ve learned to do thus far, I will not move until I hear loud and clear from Him.
Prepare
I’m preparing to continue my journey with God. I know He has plans to prosper me and not to harm me. The Bible tells me so in Jeremiah 29:11.
I’m thankful God is allowing me to prepare to continue my journey with Him. Like the Israelites did as Moses instructed them and took what had been given to them, I will take what has been given to me and do what I’m instructed to do too.
- I will now prepare a new resume. Truth, I haven’t updated my resume in 10 years. Yikes!
- I’ll be reading some books that I haven’t had time to read in order to prepare me for my journey.
- I’ll be seeking paid employment.
- I’ll be writing during my wilderness journey.
- I’ll be seeking speaking engagements. In fact, I already have one. You see how faithful God is?
I know God has prepared a path through my wilderness journey, and I’m preparing for it.
Miracles and Immeasurably More
I’m expecting miracles in the days ahead. After all, Jesus is quite known for doing miracles. I’m preparing for some of those, whatever they are, I’m expecting them! I’ve put in a lot of requests over the last few months. I wonder if Jesus has created a ledger of my miracle requests?
Lightheartedness aside, I’m wholeheartedly relying on God Himself to provide for me and direct me through this wilderness journey that He has clearly decided for me to enter.
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20)
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