What do you do when all around you are saying, “Do something!” but you haven’t got the vaguest idea what you should do?
In my experience? Poise in the midst of chaos and confusion is one of life’s toughest disciplines to learn.
When I asked Google for a definition of “poise” it gave me: Balance and Equilibrium.
That sounds about right.
So, how do you keep your equilibrium when it feels like the bottom has dropped out from under you, and too many voices are urging you to go in a hundred different directions?
When right looks wrong
Imagine again, you’re in the sandals of Moses.
You have headed into the desert with all these trusting (or semi-trusting) people, and it looks like God has led you into a dead-end trap?
Now what?
The folks following behind you are confused and panic stricken.
You know God said, “Head out.”
You know listening to God is absolutely right.
But here at this point? There are cliffs to the right and left, the Red Sea in front of you, and you can clearly hear the horses and chariots of Pharaoh closing in.
To your limited vision, everything LOOKS wrong!
The LONG way around
For the next few weeks, I want to review a little book I read over thirty years ago.
It is full of timeless truths based on Exodus 14, giving us some clues about what to do when you are in a very tight spot, and you know you don’t know WHAT to do.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am there now, and have been standing here for the past two years.
Two years! Waiting! For what?
Only God’s voice.
His next instruction, and hearing nothing but the word, “Wait.”
My man Moses
I guess Moses has been a hero of mine for most of my life, but over these past two years?
Moses seems like the story I have most needed to encourage me in the midst of so much frustration and confusion.
Yep, Moses and me, standing at the Red Sea… looking at the IMPOSSIBLE, thinking, “How, how, HOW?”
Praying. Asking for vision, wisdom, and dare I admit this, CALM. While pondering a great many promises in God’s word, like…
I will lead the blind… Isaiah 42:16
Blind? You bet! And this promise has overcome my panic, moment by moment, while restoring my patience and trust.
RED SEA RULES
When I awoke this morning, I was sitting after morning devotions, and I heard (in my head) a line from a quote way, way, back, somewhere.
… and patience was willing to wait.
I thought, “Where is that from? Who said it?”
(Answer: John Bunyan, Pilgrim’s Progress.)
I looked it up, then pondered it’s truth, in light of my own frustrating circumstances.
I saw my man Moses again, standing at the Red Sea, which reminded me of a little book I once read.
So, I bought myself a new copy of Red Sea Rules.
Time Out!
I have this rule of my own.
When I don’t know what else to do?
- I do nothing at all.
- I get still and quiet.
- And, I wait.
Then I thought, “Okay, time out!”
Why don’t we revisit this “roadmap,” take a little time to go aside and hear, what I hope is some very wise counsel.
I know God is watching.
I know He hears each anxious thought.
He knows I want to make wise decisions, right?
He knows I have been waiting to hear which road is the right road–His road–even if it’s a lonely road through the desert.
Walking Blind
Looking back over my journeys?
I realize now, how often I had to follow Jesus “walking blind.”
I suppose, for reasons of growing our faith, (which after all is the point of it all) God will often tell us to begin a journey, with no information about our destination other than, “Follow Me.”
And, He expects us to start out.
He knows this is scary stuff, especially when you’ve seen everything fall apart.
Turning toward the unknown
Choosing to get up again, and follow, when you are starting out from the ruins?
Well, let’s just say, it can “look” ludicrous!
Walking by faith, can often seems so to our unbelieving eyes.
Going “ALL-IN” (again) at the crossroads
It can sound so easy to simply say to someone, “Choose life.”
(But, when you are standing in the ruins of your own life?)
It can be one of the hardest choices you will ever have to make.
Turning points in life, often involve simple clear-cut, life-or-death decisions.
And, truthfully? Here is where you go “all-in” by faith… or not.
When it happened to me? Jesus (via His Holy Spirit) said only one word to me: DECIDE.
And, I knew beyond all my doubts, that my decision would affect every direction toward my spiritual destiny, for the rest of my life.
Women With Destiny 