What do you do when you’re at a crossroads and don’t know which way to go?
I find myself there. It’s been quite emotional. Excitement and fear mingle. Pressure mounts and tears flow.
The ministry of Soul Shepherding continues to grow and Bill and I find that our plates are overflowing, even with more helpers. We and our Board have decisions to make.
I was feeling paralyzed standing before the road signs.
Then the Lord reminded me of the time 29 years ago when I was seeking His wisdom regarding what school to get my doctorate in clinical psychology from. I was pleading with God to be accepted to the school where I had applied.
As I waited I heard a rumor that an admission counselor was questioning my acceptance based on the Christian college I attended for my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy.
Surely my Christian faith wouldn’t prevent my acceptance?!
I continued to pray and seek God’s favor and guidance. That day in my One Year Bible I read Isaiah 55:8-9:
This plan of mine is not what you would work out, neither are my thoughts the same as yours! For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than yours, and my thoughts than yours. (Living Bible)
I sensed it was God’s invitation to me! I could trust that His ways would be good!
All of a sudden I felt inspired and began to sing:
Thy ways are higher than my ways,
and I will trust in you.
You know the way for me to go,
and I will follow you.
You are my King,
and I will trust in you.
Thy ways are greater than my ways,
and I will follow you.
I sang this over and over from my heart at the top of my lungs that day and the days that followed.
That was the first and only time that I’ve written a poem with a tune! This was His special song given to me by the Holy Spirit. I knew that the Lord who provided me this song and so much peace was caring for me and guiding me.
But I was not accepted into that school. So I trusted and followed Christ’s leading to another program to earn my doctorate. It ended up being much better for me and Bill and our soon to come children.
The Lord knew the way for me to go!
So standing at a crossroads today, I pick up my song, “Thy ways are higher than my ways, and I will trust in you…”
I’m singing this as a song of surrender and trust that God will once again guide us in our current need and trial. I’m praising God for past experiences of His faithfulness. I’m abandoning the outcomes to God.
What crossroads are you standing at? What decisions are weighing on you?
We can trust Christ, our King. His ways are so much higher and better than ours! Jesus our Good Shepherd knows the way and it is He that leads us down the path of righteousness for His namesake. (Psalm 23:3)
Hearing God’s Voice Today
Our Soul Shepherding devotional on “Hearing God’s Voice Today” highlights the three basic steps I use to discern God’s will. This is the best GPS!
An important part of hearing God’s voice is to resist turning this into a mechanical device and instead to treat is as part of growing in a closer, more trusting relationship with the Lord.
Bill and I just shared a 20-minute “Soul Talks” on this. We invite you to join our podcast conversation: “Resting in Jesus as Enough.”
From Worry to Peaceful Trust
The biggest obstacle to hearing God’s voice and experiencing intimacy with Jesus is WORRY. Bill’s recent book is all about de-stressing in divine rhythms of grace through apprenticing yourself to Christ. It’s designed for personal reading or small groups.
