Have you ever felt like you don’t know where you are going?
You know there is a path. You believe you have followed God up to this point. But you just can’t see what your next step is much less where it’s leading.
I believe these times are normal in our lives, but honesty, they feel sort of like a punishment.
I took this picture at the beginning of my most recent season of silence with God. I was walking and noticed the path I usually took was completely covered with leaves. If I didn't know it was already there I might not have followed.
At the time I was feeling completely cut off from God. He was silent and I had no idea why. I looked at this path and uttered: "This is exactly how I feel right now God! Where am I supposed to walk? What am I supposed to do? Where are you leading me?"
A few days later I opened my photos and saw this image again. I again asked God what was going on. All I heard was the phrase I placed on it: Just because a path is hidden doesn’t mean it isn’t still there.
I really didn’t like hearing that. I WANTED a clear path, a bright light shining down on my next step, sure footing for where to go and what to do next.
Have you ever whispered (or screamed)
Where are you God?
Why haven’t you…
What am I supposed to do?
Did I do something wrong for you to be so silent?
What’s next?
What am I to do now?
I have been engaging in these prayers a lot lately. I’ll admit it has been a sort of pity party, but really all I long to do is whatever God wants so when I don’t hear clearly where He’s leading me I get discouraged, frustrated with myself, and very confused.
These times of quiet from God can be excruciating. And, they are unavoidable. Not because we have somehow messed up, but because, if we let Him, God uses them to draw us closer to Him.
Here’s what I have been using to help my draw closer to God as I wait out the silence.
How to wait out the silence
Pour it all out. What are you waiting on Him for? What do you need? What’s bothering you? Ask about everything and hold nothing back. Use prayer, God’s Word and other trusted Christ-centered friends as your sounding board.
Consider your part. Did you really follow where God was leading or were you going where you wanted? Did you ask Him before you started down the path you’re on? Have you asked Him to examine your heart to cleanse it? This isn’t about GUILT, it’s about being released from whatever’s keeping you from seeing where God is directing you.
Rattle some Doorknobs. Often what we are waiting on can be right in front of us but we don’t recognize it because it doesn’t look like we expect. Get out of your comfort zone and look for ways God may be moving you forward. Ask yourself questions like: What would I be doing if I wasn’t afraid? OR What would it look like to step out in faith? Then look for opportunities and act on them.
Just because your path is covered at the moment doesn’t mean it will remain that way.
Today, I walked this same path and you know what, it looked like this:
Hang in there. God will clear our paths.
"I will lead the blind by a way they do not know, In paths they do not know I will guide them. I will make darkness into light before them and rugged places into plains. These are the things I will do, And I will not leave them undone." Isaiah 42:16 NASB
Join the Conversation: What do you do when you are waiting on God?