There’s nothing better than walking in the presence of the Lord– being with Him at all times, and knowing that He is with me. I wouldn’t trade this life for anything in the world. But, I have been reminded this week of just how difficult this journey can be.
I am embarking on a new season of my life. God is calling my family to a new place. And although we have walked this journey of faith for many years, taking that first leap of faith still isn’t easy…
It’s not easy leaving this season that I am accustomed to, and It definitely isn’t easy leaving this season for a place that is completely unknown to me. But, as I look back on my journey with God, I have to say that this is His M.O.
God calls us to the unknown.
The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram departed as the Lord had instructed, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. (Genesis 12:1-4 NLT)
God wanted Abraham to leave and God wanted Abraham to go.
I have read this story in scripture so many times, but this is the first time the words leave and go stood out to me. I feel like the Holy Spirit wanted me to understand something. He wanted me to see that I don’t just need faith to leave…I need enough faith to go. And I have to say that this time, leaving is the easy part. The hard part is going…it’s embarking on a new season of the unknown.
Abraham’s faith began when he left the place of his comfort. It began when he took the risk of going towards an unknown place.
And this is where our journey of faith begins….
It begins with us leaving our lives of comfort behind. It begins with us walking towards the unknown.
If we look all throughout scripture, we will see evidence that this is true– think of Moses, God called him to leave his new home behind to rescue the children of Israel. Think of Elisha, God called him to leave his entire business behind to follow in the steps of the prophet Elijah. And let's remember the disciples, Jesus called each of them to leave their lives behind, so that they could follow Him. These are only a few examples from scripture…but they paint a clear picture of what walking by faith looks like.
If we want to follow Jesus, we must have faith for the unknown.
This is literally what a life with Christ looks like. It’s not easy… but as I said, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I wouldn’t trade the feeling of knowing I’m in the middle of His will. I wouldn’t trade the feeling of knowing He’s got my back. I wouldn’t trade the feeling of knowing that He’s with me and He’s prepared the way for me.
We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. (Proverbs 16:9 NLT)
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT)
For you shall not go out with haste, Nor go by flight; For the Lord will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard. (Isaiah 52:12 NKJV)
When we walk by faith, God reveals himself to us.
For a moment, I want us to look back on those stories in scripture that we talked about earlier. I want us to put ourselves in Abraham’s place…I want us to imagine what he could have experienced as he was led by God towards the promised land. Can you imagine what he saw? Can you imagine what he experienced as he walked towards the unknown?...As God provided for Him…as God protected him and fought for him?
Next, I want us to put ourselves in Moses’ place…I want us to imagine what it could have been like to be used by God to free the Nation of Israel. Can you imagine what it must have been like to see the 10 plagues? Can you imagine what it would have been like to see the Red Sea split in two? Can you imagine what it must have been like to see water gushing from a rock and manna falling from the sky?
And then, I want us to put ourselves in the place of the disciples…I want us to imagine what it could have been like to walk with Jesus. Can you imagine watching as He turned water into wine? Can you imagine watching as He healed the sick and raised the dead? Can you imagine seeing Him killed on the cross and raised to life three days later?
This is what walking by faith adds to our lives. We don’t just get to hear about Jesus…we get to see Him in action. We get to experience His favor. We get to experience His provision. We get to experience His power. I don’t want to live a life without experiencing who my Father is. Do you?
For a moment, I want you to think about your own walk with God. What have you been praying for? Have you been praying for Him to rescue you? Have you been praying for Him to heal a situation? Maybe you’ve been praying for Him to give you purpose…or maybe you’ve been believing for Him to take you to a new place in life. Whatever it is, consider that this is where your journey begins…
A call to the unknown is an answer to a prayer.
If God is calling you to the unknown...He’s leading you to a place that you’ve been believing for. He’s leading you towards healing. He’s leading you towards provision. He’s leading you towards purpose. But you will never get there if you aren’t willing to leave the place He’s calling you from. You will never get there if you aren’t willing to have faith for the unknown. If you want what He has for you…believe what He’s spoken to you. Trust that He has the provision. Trust that He’s your protection. Believe that He’s going before you and He will never leave your side. He will lead you to the place He’s prepared for you…as long as you’re willing to follow Him.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me and thank you for never leaving my side. Today, I have been reminded that a life of faith means a life of walking in the unknown. And I have been reminded that although I can not see where I am going, you are leading the way. You are taking me to the place that I am believing for…You are taking me to the future that you have prepared for me…You are taking me towards your promise. So today, I am making the decision to follow you. I am making the decision to trust you, and I can’t wait to experience your power along the way. I believe that you are with me. I believe that you are for me. And I believe that you always have me back. I love you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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