Follow the Leader

Did you ever play Follow the Leader when you were a kid?

It was a simple game - all you had to do was follow the person ahead and do what they did.

It's easy to play when you can see the person you are following and where they are going.

But what if you can't?

I think that's where a lot of us find ourselves right now.

We've done a lot of healing and hard work on our Journey From the Ashes to dispel the lies we believed for so long that held us back from being all God wants us to be.

We know God has great plans for us and we are determined to take what we have learned and just move forward already!

So, here we are. Ready to follow.

We're ready.

All set.

Hello?  

Helllooooo?  

Is there anybody out there?

God, we want to follow you, but it's hard when we can't see or hear you or have any idea of where we are going.

In times like this, I usually:

Get busy and overloaded with information trying to figure out what to do.

Panic and make rash decisions.

Ask everyone what they think I should do.

Look back and try to repeat old patterns.

Honestly, I wouldn't recommend any of that.  

Unless, of course, you like spinning in circles and wasting time.

At this moment, on our quest to follow forward, I think we have to get really, really quiet.

It reminds me of the times Jesus would leave His friends to be alone with God to gain strength and wisdom.

Only in his quiet times with God would Jesus understand what to do next.

He didn't have town hall meetings asking for input.

He didn't panic and make decisions based on fear or control.

He didn't try to apply old tactics.

Jesus got quiet in solitude and sought God in prayer until He got clear on where He needed to go.

Then, no matter what, Jesus would follow where God led.

I sometimes wish I would see a burning bush or get some kind of undeniable physical sign as to what to do next.

But it doesn't work that way, does it?

And yet, somewhere deep within, I know that God is calling us forward.

He makes a way for us, sometimes one teeny tiny step at a time.

We must keep our eyes and ears open, tune in, and listen quietly for God's voice to guide us so that we can step forward into the unknown.

God - where You go, we'll go.

Where You lead, we will follow.

And, not to be picky or anything, but God, if you could you pretty, pretty please turn up the lights a bit, put up some signs, and speak up just a teeny bit, we sure would be grateful.

Luke 5:16

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Mark 1:35

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

John 10:27

The sheep that are My own hear My voice and listen to Me; I know them, and they follow Me.