Onward through the fog!

Sometimes I feel like that summarizes my spiritual walk – moving forward toward a foggy, uncertain destination.

Like me, do you ever have a hard time receiving specific direction from the Lord?

Obviously, there are many things we are clearly directed to do in Scripture – summed up in, “love and serve others.” But do I go here, do this, do that, when do I move, when do I stay, when do I wait, when do I act? All those specifics are often hard for me to discern.

If you have the same problem, it might encourage you to know, we are in good company. Apparently, Paul the apostle sometimes wandered in the fog too.

Acts 16:6-8
Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas.

Isn’t that amazing! He was responding to the command to “go, make disciples of all nations” but the Holy Spirit kept him from doing it in the province of Asia. So, he tried to go somewhere else and again hit a barrier – the Spirit of Jesus would not allow him to go there either. So he continued “onward through the fog” trying to figure out where to go.

I think we can learn something from this little snippet from the story. Notice he was living in obedience to the revealed will of God – go. He wasn’t sitting around spending hours in naval gazing prayer. He was in action obeying the general command while waiting for specific guidance. He did what he knew to do while waiting to hear more.

“Waiting on the Lord” doesn’t necessarily mean we are sitting on our hands doing nothing. Often “waiting on the Lord” should be seen in the context of a good waiter at a restaurant. He “waits” by being available, doing what he can, serving, while waiting to take the order.

God has given us plenty of general guidance as to what we are to do. If we will be busy – about our Father’s business – just loving and serving others in any way we can, I believe we are more likely to get specific direction than if we just idly wait around until we hear something. I’ve noticed:

When God has a big job to do, He always chooses someone who is busy being faithful at a small task.

David was watching sheep. Elisha was plowing his father’s field. Peter, James and John were busy fishing and mending nets. Matthew was at his post collecting taxes.

If we will “work with all our heart,” doing what our hands find to do at the moment, at just the right time, God will give us any specific direction we may need.
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Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters …
Ecclesiastes 9:10
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might …