God’s Will – The Forked Road
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing. Psalm 143:10 (NLT)
As Billy Graham was trying to understand God’s will for his life, more doors opened for him. One of them was full-time employment with Youth for Christ International (YFC). This paved the way for him to travel the United States and Europe. He earned a reputation as a speaker who was led by Holy Spirit and had a God-ordained gift to draw people to Jesus Christ. While he was working for YFC, he was offered a job at Northwestern College in Minneapolis and became the youngest college president in the United States at the time. He soon realised, however, that God had called him to be an evangelist and not an educator. After four years, he resigned.
God, through His Holy Spirit, was revealing to Him more clearly what He had called him to do. This revelation helped him to articulate his personal mission statement, which said,
“My one purpose in life is to help people find a relationship with God, which, I believe, comes through knowing Jesus Christ.”
This is the Way, Walk In it
When we are on this journey of discovering God’s calling on our lives, we will be presented with open doors. These open doors may be forks on the road that may not be the pathway that leads us to what God is ultimately calling us to do. It may be an opportunity God provides for us to gain greater understanding and revelation of our true calling. Perhaps this fork in the road that we wander into is not what God desired for us. Perhaps we were enticed by financial gain, career opportunities or other benefits. Perhaps we were led by our minds, by what seemed logical. Or perhaps by our emotions, by what felt right at the time. When we wander off God’s path, He will gently nudge us and give us a sense of dissatisfaction with the path we are on. He will lovingly and graciously lead us back to where He wants us to be. This divergence will never be wasted. God uses everything to equip us for the work that He has for us.
And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it”, when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21 (ESV)
When we delight in Him and His Word, our spiritual ears will be inclined to hear His voice. His voice that guides us along the path that He has for us. The path He has established for us. The path that leads us forward and makes our footing firm and secure.
The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way. Psalm 37:23 (ESV)
Reflection:
If you have wandered off the path that God has set you on, will you trust Him to lead you back to your God-ordained path? Take time to think about your personal mission statement and write it down.
Prayer:
Forgive me, Lord, for wandering from the path that You have established for me. Help me to incline my ears so that I can hear Your voice guiding me back to Your God-ordained path. In Jesus’ name, amen.
