I’m making big claims this year. This is my year of obedience. And, man, does that sound really churchy and sterile. But here we are, walking in it anyway.
I believe we go through seasons of disorientation, meaning God changes something inside you or around you that you always thought would be there. For example, I was always confident in the call God placed on my life. I mean, I was there when he called me, right? I remember it clearly; I can tell the story backwards and front. But I thought I would always feel that confidence. It was the one thing I could hold on to, no matter what happened around me—until it wasn't.
I c r a w l e d through a season recently where I was disoriented.
I wasn't sure I heard God correctly back then. I wasn't sure it was Him at all. I wondered if I had made everything up. Did I lie to myself? Did I want something for myself that wasn't meant for me? And I was hearing other voices too: "That's not your gifting," "You don't really think you can do that, do you?" "There are better women for that than you." You know the voices I’m talking about. And you'd think you could recognize the enemy's voice when you hear it, but…
It’s hard to recognize the enemy’s voice when it sounds like your voice.
It wasn't until I started saying these things out loud to God, to trusted advisors and to myself that I realized they weren't true. I had been believing a lie- several lies. And those lies were keeping me from obedience.
Here’s what I’m learning:
Only I am responsible for God's calling on my life.
He calls me, I steward that call.
He's not going to ask my family or coworkers or boss if I stewarded my call in this life—He's going to ask me.
No one is responsible for your obedience other than you.
So, if you're thinking He is asking you to do something this year, I'm here to encourage you to just take a step in that direction. I bet there's a small step you could take even today in obedience.
Tell somebody
Post about it
Put it on the calendar
Buy the ticket
Return the call
Update your resume
Apply for the loan
Google a therapist
Start the blog
It only takes a small step to start. Then, keep stepping. Keep taking the steps toward the big scary thing. One little step will open up another step.
We are dying to know what’s next. What does God have for us? How do we get there? But while we are asking Him for the future plans, we are standing still. We want to see what's ahead, but we aren't moving in the direction of what's right in front of us. We want to see too far down the road before we take a step. But this is how light works- the more you move forward, the more path is visible.
And I get it. It's scary to move. Stepping out in faith, even small, is terrifying. But we are only responsible for where our feet are. If it was God's idea, He will handle what happens next.
You aren't responsible for the outcome of your obedience.
We can breathe a collective sigh of relief. God will sustain you as you take step after step. We don’t have to worry about what each step will bring—He’s got us. And that is exactly what’s getting me through this first week of 2024 and the big scary steps He’s got me taking. Because He’s got me.
