Following Your Calling When You Have No Idea Where God is Leading
As I sat through watching the women on the screen at a women's conference, I felt a resounding surge of excitement. It is something that I always feel when I am teaching and studying God's Word. Soon after the conference was over, I looked at my friend and said that is what I want to do.
I didn't think I had to be a big name. I wasn't searching for fame. The part that caused me to have such great enthusiasm was the idea of teaching God's Word.
I didn't know what that meant. With great joy and enthusiasm, I was looking forward to whatever that meant.
The next day I said to my husband, I feel God has called me into the ministry. What does that mean? Can you guess his next question?
Do we have to move?
Do we have to move? I don't know. I know God has called me and I don't know what that looks like but I have to be obedient.
As I navigated these waters and prayerfully considered what God was asking there were three things that were very clear to me.
- God has blessed me with a family. He has given me a wonderful supportive husband. But this had to be something that we were on the same page about. The bond that God has created shall not be broken by any man, including myself.
- God has called me to mother my children. It is a blessing. He has given me a family and my job is to care for and nurture them and train them up in His word.
- God has called me to obedience. When He says do, I have to step out with courage and be obedient to that.
This began the early stages of following where I wasn't sure where God was leading.
You Should Start a Blog
My husband came home from work a couple of days later and said, you should start a blog. What?
Let me begin to list the issues I had with that.
I know I said I would go where God would lead me but this was a completely unknown territory and quite honestly sounded a little crazy.
First of all, I don't know what a blog is. I am not a writer. I am a teacher. The closest thing I had to a computer was a tablet. We didn't have the internet. Being a stay-home-mom these things were all way out of our budget. I had zero online connections and my list just started accumulating.
I don't know if I was giving my husband my list or God.
But within the week, I had started blogging. One thing after another, God started opening doors. Friends, I didn't even have an email or Facebook account.
He kept pointing out the ways this could be done. It wasn't easy. I had to go to the public library for the free wi-fi. Write from that little tablet. I had no idea how to make a graphic or how to write a post. Really, don't read my first or second or third post.
Daily, he gave me what I needed. I was being led to sites that had just the information I needed for that project. He kept shutting down all my ideas of how this was so far out in left field.
[bctt tweet="God is awesome! He showed up in ways big and small beyond my wildest imaginations. He made it clear, however, this was only from Him. @NicoleAKauffman #FollowYourCall" username="Jaime_Wiebel"]
God Really Can Accomplish All He Sets Out To Do
The connections, the computer, the internet, the writing. I give all credit and glory to Him.
You may be saying to yourself right now, well this is great, but I do not feel God calling me to blog. How can I apply this to my life?
Make no mistake you are called to serve the body of Christ. But trusting God to lead you into the unknown doesn't just have to do with your service. It could be your finances, your parenting, your marriage, your job, you name it, He wants you to give it to Him.
There are several lessons that we can apply to our lives.
- First of all, gifts or talents that we have are God-given. If you don't know what areas God has gifted you in, there are several online options that ask you questions and help you in that area. Discover what they are and use them for His Glory. Sometimes, that may mean stepping out of your comfort zone and getting your hands dirty. Nursery duty anyone? (Romans 8:28)
- God accomplishes all He sets out to do. I spent many years running from God, using my own resources to teach school. Although it was an honorable job, I did it for myself, for my gain and for my glory. (Ephesians 1:11)
- Blogging was way out of my comfort zone. Everything about it. Outside our comfort zone is sometimes exactly where we become available to be usable by God. I can't show up to work and say, God, I got this thing. Because He holds the world and all things that revolve in it in His hands. (Job 38:33-41) Not me.
- The best way to show up to serve is with open and willing hands. With a heart to love God's people. Trust me that, too, is a God thing. (1 John 4:19)
- No matter what you are doing to serve the body of Christ, you are needed. (1 Corinthians 12:27)
- Following God into an unknown land is not easy. It's not just about someone with guts, courage, and bravery. Someone willing to trust and walk with the Lord each step of the way is a prime candidate. To be someone who leaves an open heart to the possibilities that God can do big and small things through them will certainly see His blessing. (Genesis 12:1)
- [bctt tweet="Trusting God applies to all areas of our life. Believing Gods words to be true is important but they don't make a difference unless you believe them to be true for you! (Romans 10:9-10) @NicoleAKauffman #FollowGodsLead #FollowYourCall" username="Jaime_Wiebel"]
God Has a Plan for You!
Here is the most exciting part. God has a plan just for you!
One of my favorite verses comes from Jeremiah. It says,
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
I hope you didn't miss God's declaration for you. He knows. In a world of uncertainty, we can rest in knowing our creator knows what He has for us and catch this, it is to prosper you and give you a hope and future.
So my challenge to you today! I want you to pray over one area in your life you need to trust God more. An area where you need to come open-handed where God can take you and lead you. Even if it is scary or seems out of your reach, let Him show you His power.
What is that area of your life you need straighter paths? Pray for God to lead as you follow into the unknown.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
I would love to hear from you about your experience with following God into unknown territory. Let's chat in the comments below.
Sometimes it’s hard to know if I am following God’s plan or my own plan. Great post!
This sounds just like my story! I left the classroom after 12 years because I knew God was calling me into ministry. I thought I was going on staff at church, but God was actually leading us to change churches. I had a little mommy blog, so I thought maybe I was supposed to have a mommy ministry to teach our littles about the Lord. God took it, gave it a new name, and turned it into a blog about biblical hospitality. I also struggled with the conflict between being obedient to God, and wanted to make sure I was submissive to my husband. It’s truly amazing when God brings all things together and His plan is revealed!
Thanks for sharing your story, Courtney. I was fortunate to have a supportive husband. I had been a stay-at-home mom for about 8 years when I began blogging. It was really the furthest thing from my radar. Obviously, not from God’s radar. I take great comfort in knowing that He knows the plans that He has for me. Coming with an open heart and willing hands has really been the best thing I could have offered God. Getting out of the way so that He could truly use me. Thanks again for sharing your story. I love getting to know other bloggers.
It’s amazing to think about the gifts God has given us and how we can use them for His glory! It’s so important to offer each day to Him.
All for His Glory. Anyone can do life for their glory. It temporary though. I want the work I do to be for His Glory and For building up His kingdom and not my own. I get great joy from being His servant. Thanks for joining us, Bailey!
I hope I’m finally being obedient. I have hit my head so much in the last few years. I didn’t want kids or a marriage and here I am with both. I just wanted to have a career and I had to give that up to take care of my children. I am on a completely different journey I never pictured for myself and like you, I have started a blog. So far so good. I pray that I’m finally listening and letting his will be done instead of trying to create my own path.
When entering into transitions and things I always have to ask myself if I’m following God’s plan or MY plan and sometimes its hard to discern!
That can certainly be a fine line. As a blogger, and we can do this with anything, I have to keep myself in check by asking myself why am I doing this. For bloggers, we can get hooked on numbers, followers and stats. As parents, we can think about what we are doing. Like if it is to look good to other parents or to reflect God’s light to the world. Keeping our hearts and motives focused on Christ really helps us know our why. If it is for my gain, it certainly isn’t for His Glory. I hope you have a great week, Jessica.
Something big for me was finally stopping trying to control everything. I learned to be okay with how things land because the only thing I really CAN control is me and my reactions. That was definitely unknown territory for me.
Proverbs 3:5-6 is my favorite bible verse and I repeat it often. You are doing an awesome job.
Amen, thanks for the reminder that God has a plan for all of us.
I am still figuring out what God wants me to do but I do try to remind myself that I am only twenty-five. God will reveal what he wants me to do in his time. It’s hard to be patient sometimes! Thanks for sharing. This was encouraging.