It feels that in this season of my life I’m riding on a crest of a wave, but it hasn’t always felt like this. For a long while, it has felt that I have been drifting aimlessly in calm waters, which might seem quite nice and quaint – but not when you are screaming out to God, asking where He is.
We all go through these times in our Christian lives, I think. Even people like John the Bapist did – John the Baptist, who baptised Jesus and started his earthly ministry. Before John baptised Jesus, he told others around him: “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), yet John was arrested and put in prison. He must have wondered why this had happened to him.
He was the one who prepared the way for Jesus, but while he was there, sitting in the prison cell, he doubted. So John sent two of his messengers to make sure Jesus was the Messiah, the one sent by God to redeem Israel, or if should they expect someone else (Luke 7:18-35).
I think many of us will be able to relate to John’s story and to his doubt – I know that I can. But what I’ve found is that in these situations we mustn’t confuse our doubts and our wilderness times with unbelief. We must follow what John did and ask Jesus himself for the answer.
So that’s what I did.
And for the past six weeks, God through His Spirit has been prompting me to read book after book, listen to certain podcasts or watch certain teaching videos, as well as having certain conversations with certain people.
It’s been an amazing experience, especially after been drifting aimlessly for so long! Finally, it feels like it’s the start of something new.
But I don’t want to dismiss my time ‘floating in the water’. God used those times for good and as I reflect back, I’ve realized that the aimless drifting was a great time for preparation for me.
So here goes : I don’t know where you are in you life with Christ; whether you are floating, on the crest of a wave or just tipping your toe in.
But wherever you are, please never doubt what God has revealed to you already. Jeremiah tells us: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (29:13).
Did I do this, back there in the drifting times? To be honest, not at first, and not with my whole heart. I wasn’t in the right place to do that, to start with.
But when I did, He answered and I can’t wait to see where we are going to end up.
Bill Hybels once said: “Never, ever blow off a prompting from the Holy Spirit.” There is an amazing adventure to be had when we are listening to God through His Holy Spirit. The combination of His Spirit and you are an unstoppable force.
So, has God been prompting you lately? Are you ready? This wave is huge. Come and ride it with us.