Have you been tempted
lately by anything that tried to get you off track? I have. Just yesterday I
realized the place I usually go to write has changed. About a month ago two of
my favorite workers left for other jobs. I had been going to the same place for
over two years and the atmosphere was perfect for studying the Bible and
writing. It was awesome. “WAS” is the operative word here.
Once those two workers
left, the atmosphere changed. I noticed it but I thought it would work out and
everything would be okay once the new people settled in. But yesterday I had to
face the facts that it just wasn’t working. I was fidgety nearly the whole time
I was there. I had a harder time getting into the Bible and it was a struggle to
write.
Oftentimes our temptation
is not the one that lures us out into other places but the one that get us to
stay where we’re at. Generally people are more apt to go with the status quo,
with what they’re used to rather than venturing out into the unknown. No matter
how bad the situation gets, our tendency is to stay put. The unknown just seems
too scary or too hard. But that is exactly what our adversary wants. The
situation gets slightly worse, then gradually gets so bad we wonder what
happened. The devil manages to delay and hurt us.
Wisdom is to become aware
of a deteriorating situation as soon as possible and if we haven’t got the
authority or revelation to fix it, get out. You will probably be surprised to
know that Jesus our Lord often walked away from bad situations. Check it out.
Here’s one poignant example:
Matthew 4:12-13: “Now when Jesus had heard that John was
cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; And leaving Nazareth, he came and
dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast.” There was no confronting the
authorities to get John out of prison, no false martyrdom. Jesus knew 1 Samuel
15:22: “Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in
obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken
than the fat of rams.”
Another example is
in John 8: 59: “Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself,
and went out of the temple, going through the
midst of
them, and so passed by.”
And look at John
7:1: “After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in
Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.”
Jesus just moved on to do
God’s will for his life in another place. That’s exactly what we’re supposed to
do.
I don’t have to keep going to the same place I used to study and
write just because it’s convenient for me. I don’t have to think I can stay and
make it better either. I just have to pick myself up and say, “Jesus, where to
next?”
Let’s be brave people. Let’s believe to see quickly and clearly if
a situation is bad for us. Then be willing to step away if Jesus says go. And
if He does, we step out courageously into our unknown with our hand interlocked
with the hand of the One who knows it all.
Love, Carolyn
Venture into new territory spiritually with any of my WINGS books:
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