In 2013, Dr. Kent Brantly, believing God was leading him, moved his family to Monrovia, Liberia. He worked there as a medical missionary serving with Samaritan’s Purse. Within a few months, Dr. Brantly contracted the Ebola virus while caring for patients with the disease. Ebola has a 90% mortality rate. Did the Brantly’s misunderstand God’s directions? Did they go to the wrong place?
No. Dr. Brantly received medical treatment and abundant prayers. He survived. He maintains his family went to the exact place God wanted at that time.
We’re Always Going Somewhere
Those of us who are Christians say we “follow Jesus.” That He guides our paths day to day. We believe Bible verses like “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives” (Psalm 37 :23,NLT) and “For this is God, Our God forever and ever; He will be our guide, even to death” (Psalm 48:14 NKJV).
How handy it would be for God to guide us like He did the Israelites to the Promised Land. They traveled whatever direction a cloud lead them by day and a pillar of fire lead them by night. For us, sometimes we pray and God seems silent. Or as in Dr. Brantlty’s experience, the path may lead into danger and near death.
The Bible offers wisdom as we ask our where questions and listen for God’s answers.
Allow God to Lead as You Listen
God gave Gideon good directions. Gideon wanted more. He told God, “If this is really what You want me to do, here’s what I want you to do” (Judges 6:36-40). In Gideon’s case, God complied. But that’s not how He normally works.
There was a woman who wasn’t sure if he should take a trip to the Holy Land. The ads mentioned traveling there and back on a 747 jumbo jet. She went to bed that night praying, “God, if I should go, please show me a sign in the morning.” She awoke the next day facing her alarm clock. It’s digital numbers read, 7:47. She took that as a sign from God to go.
We’re so whimsical. God’s wisdom and ways are higher than ours. Instead of telling God how to guides us, we should tell Him we want to follow more closely no matter where He guides. The Apostle Paul thought he was right on course until God called him in a vision to Macedonia (Acts 16:6-10). He then took the gospel into Europe.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take” (Proverbs 3:5-6, NLT).
Anticipate Blindspots as You Listen
God gave Joshua explicit instructions how to take the Promised Land. That included conquering the walled city of Jericho. Israel obeyed. God gave them an incredible victory. Then, on to a smaller, easier locale called Ai. But there, Israel suffered defeat.
What Joshua didn’t know was that a man named Achan had disobeyed part of God’s instructions. Joshua prayed. God revealed the blindspot and addressed the situation.
Like Dr. Kent Brantly in Liberia, no matter where God guides us to, there are things He’ll need to guide us through. God leads missionaries to spots around the world where they face hardships to spread the gospel. There are converts in countries unfriendly to Christianity where new believers suffer for living their faith.
Anchor Your Faith as You Listen
So we trust God to help us sense the right impressions from Him. We look forward to circumstances that are God directed, not happenstance. We watch for doors He opens for us to walk through. At times, we may focus too much on the door itself.
In the book “All the Places You’ll Go,” John Ortberg says, “What we want most is not what lies behind the door. What we want most is the one who opens it.” Do we sometimes forget that? Faith isn’t defined only in how strongly we trust God, but also in how close we draw to Him while trusting.
When God seems silent, draw closer. When His guidance is crystal clear, draw closer. As we draw closer to God, He’ll draw us closer to the place He has in mind for us.
The disciples, some of them seasoned fishermen, suddenly faced a fierce storm on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus lay in the boat, sleeping. They woke Him and he calmed the storm. The most important thing that day wasn’t where they were heading, but that Jesus was in the boat. That’s the most important thing for all of us.
The Road Ahead
Where’s your next stop? You may not know. But what you do before getting there matters as much as reaching the place. Here are two things to keep in mind.
- God’s main direction is straight ahead, serving Him. You’re going the right direction each day that you love God with all your being and let God love others through you.
- God can guide us through a phone call, an email, or an unexpected knock on the door. He also leads us as we use His gifts to us—our knowledge base, set of skills, and personal interests. As we keep moving forward for God, those gifts will open many doors.
Further Fuel: Psalm 25:4-5; James 1:5.
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