THERE IS A STRANGE STATEMENT IN Scripture that flashes like a bright neon sign. Paul made it while he was saying good-bye to a group of friends standing near him. It was a sad moment heavy with emotion. Most of the men were choking back tears, realizing they would never see him again. Looking around, the aging apostle, with his weather-beaten hand pointing south toward the stormy skies above the Mediterranean Sea, voiced these words:
"Now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don't know what awaits me, except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.
There isn't a Christian reading my words who hasn't walked that path. And struggled with ways to convince others it is right. And endured the frowns and well-meaning advice of those who try to point out why the idea is a fluke . . . even downright dumb.
And so it goes. Who hasn't stepped out on faith, leaving a sure thing, walking away from an ace in the hole, looking down a long, dark tunnel with no end in sight? And yet filled with unimaginable excitement. Going . . . yet not knowing. Obeying . . . yet not understanding. Beginning a journey that is unpredictable, risky, untried, and appearing a little insane to some—yet prompted by none other than the Lord Himself.
Are you on the verge of such a decision? Is the Lord loosening your tent pegs, suggesting it's time you take a drastic leap of faith trusting Him to direct your steps through a future that offers no tangible map? Lean on Him. Verify His leading through His Word and through godly counsel. Check your motive. Consider the impact on others. If everything checks out, then get going . . . even without knowing.
Devotional content taken from Good Morning, Lord . . . Can We Talk? by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 2018. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a division of Tyndale House Ministries. All rights reserved. The full devotional can be purchased at tyndale.com.
Used with permission. All rights reserved.
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