Walking With God

I shared some of my journey last night with the women at our church. I talked about what God taught me and is teaching me, using this specific lesson about walking with God right where He has me.

Thought I’d repost it today…

Original Post:

I am still reading “Walking with God on the Road you Never Wanted to Travel” by Mark Atteberry.

The chapter starts with this portion of scripture.

Numbers 9:17-23 says, “17 Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped. 18 At the LORD’s command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. 19 When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the LORD’s order and did not set out. 20 Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the LORD’s command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out. 21 Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. 22 Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out. 23 At the LORD’s command they encamped, and at the LORD’s command they set out. They obeyed the LORD’s order, in accordance with his command through Moses.”

Is that not powerful?

A people following the exact command of God?

Moving when He says move and waiting when He says wait. They were obedient to God, following His leading and direction.

They knew where they were going, they knew the point of destination. They could have skipped ahead and said, “That cloud isn’t going to keep me here in the wilderness. I’m done with this! Let’s go to the Promised Land. Let’s go now!”

And, if they had done that, it would have resulted in complete failure. God would not have been with them. God had something to accomplish in them during their time in the dessert. Hurrying ahead of God would have been disastrous.

“Satan can use your sense of urgency against you.” – Mark Atteberry

Wow. Read that again.

How often do we feel a sense of urgency? In our “do it now, have it now” society, we are often hurrying ahead full blast and seem to forget seeking God, waiting for Him and His direction. When we have a struggle or a pain or an obstacle in our path, our first thought is usually immediate deliverance. I am not saying that we shouldn’t go to God and ask for His help, we definitely should! That is part of being His child! But, God isn’t always going to answer immediately by delivering us completely. He might be in the midst of doing something great in us through the trial.

Don’t be tempted to take short cuts and move ahead of where God has you right now.

Why?

1. Reflect on the benefits of slowing down. Wait. Be patient. Think it through and Seek God. Isaiah 40:31 says, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength”

2. Remember what you have been called to do. Micah 6:8 says, “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Walk with God! Not run ahead, walk WITH Him.

3. Reject the counsel of people who urge you to hurry up. Isaiah 30:18 says, “Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!”

Sometimes God takes time for a reason. Sometimes we remain in our current circumstance for a purpose. Whether for us or for those watching us walk this road, we can’t skip ahead of what God wants to DO THROUGH the circumstance. He is working in us, through us and in those around us.

There isn’t always something wrong with us if God chooses to answer us with the word “wait”. He can do so much in that time of waiting on Him. We are blessed when we choose to obey by waiting, by walking with Him.

Mark Atteberry ends the chapter like this.

“Starting today, the pressure’s off. You can relax. Take a deep breath and simply walk with the God who loves you! Go at God’s pace.”

There are things that I am waiting on. Things I want God to do TODAY.

But, the pressure’s off. I’m choosing to go at God’s pace and wait on Him. These things will happen in His time, not mine and I will rejoice in the process.

Have you ever found yourself on a road you never wanted to travel?

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