Navigating Through the Storm

This last month has been challenging for my family and I. For those of you that don't know, last February my wife and I were asked to help plant a church in Chandler, AZ. Both of us being in agreement that it was the Lord, we sold our house, our car and set out by faith and moved to Arizona.

On November 27th we were faced with a huge hang up. The railroad, my employer, recalled me back to the mid-west and it wasn't optional. So with no other options at the time I left my wife and 3 kids behind and headed back to Kansas praying it wouldn't be for long.

After 2 1/2 weeks it looked hopeful that I would be able to get back to Arizona, so I headed back home. After I got there things took another turn, but this time it was worse. I found out that the railroad wouldn't transfer me because the shortage of engineers in the mid-west actually increased from the previous number and the time frame would be undetermined. It wasn't long and I found myself on a flight back to Kansas, meanwhile doing my best to take captive every thought that suggested I wasn't in the will of God.  

I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say "See, its not working out for you in Arizona so it must not be God's will." But these folks don't understand that God does NOT lead you by circumstance. Romans 8:14 NLT says, For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. Children of God can expect to be led by His Spirit and not outward circumstance. If we look to circumstances to determine whether or not something is God's will, then our lives would reflect a wave of the sea. Always being tossed around to and fro this way and that way, because circumstances are always changing. We must turn our focus to the Holy Spirit who is constant and stable.

Are you asking yourself, what does he mean? Let me put it like this, pretend your on a boat out in the middle of the sea. This represents your life. The waves (circumstances) all around you take you up and down, side to side over and over again and again. And after awhile you begin to feel weary because your eyes have been on the boat and the waves. However if you would get your eyes off of them and fix them on the horizon (the Lord) which is constant and never changing, you will begin to relax and like the horizon you will begin to reflect its stability through the wavering circumstances of life.

What does keeping your eye on the horizon look like in real life circumstances? Well when I received the news that I was being forced back to the mid-west, immediately my wife and I began praying for guidance. Then I called my Pastor and we prayed some more over the phone. The next night the entire lead team from our church gathered around my wife and I and we prayed some more. Then the next night was our encounter service and our church prayed with us some more. Then the next morning I was awaken by the presence of the Lord and He prompted me by the Spirit to be still and listen to His voice. He assured me that everything would be fine and I needed to trust Him that He has a plan and He reassured me that He will order my steps through this transition. Our eyes were fixed on the horizon!

It was because of this inward voice that I knew the Lord was working out a transition in my life. Though I wasn't sure how it would flesh out, at least I had direction and assurance confirmed by an inward witness. And I've cleaved to His words through this entire season. The Lord led me by His Spirit which dwells on the inside of me. And that's how He will lead you too. As believers we are to be sensitive to His voice and not be circumstance led. God's voice is real, and the more time you spend in His Word and in His presence, the louder, more often and more real it becomes to you. And this my friend is how you have peace when everything around you is falling apart.