Detours

My well seems to have run dry. The fast pace, unprecedented events of life seem to have taken over and I find myself reaping the results of a deep emptiness of strength, creativity and drive to continue the work that I know God has called me to. Did I just say that out loud?

This is why confession is good for the soul, the mind and the body. Acknowledgement of this fact brought me to a significant question. Is this detour not also the work God has called me to do, has equipped me for, and will lead me through? Of course it is. And God will give me the strength, the drive and the resources to not only do what He has called me to do originally, but also any detours I may encounter along the way.

There are many stories in the Bible of Jesus’ ministry where those who followed Him wondered why they took what they felt were detours, when in reality, Jesus had another plan, another mission along the way, that was crucial to the journey and an opportunity for His disciples to learn in a setting they had not expected.

The feeding of the 5000 is on one of those stories that comes to mind. When faced with all those mouths to feed, the disciples urged Jesus to send them away. The hordes of people, anxious to see and hear Jesus, had plenty of time to get back to their villages and fix their supper in their own homes or find accommodations and a Chick-Fil-A nearby before the sun went down. Why should it be the disciples responsibility to feed all those people.

Andrew immediately started looking at what little food they had and Philip was counting the coins, telling Jesus it would take more than a half a year’s wages to buy even one chicken nugget for each of the people crowding in to get just a glimpse of the teacher some called the Messiah. The practicality of life, the responsibility of finances, and the struggles of daily living was greater than the disciples’ memory of the many miracles Jesus had already performed. Their expectations were limited by their lack of faith in what Jesus could do. Sound familiar?

As Christ followers we are asked to relinquish our hold on the time,  money and talents that He has given us, allowing Him to use our gifts as He intended, in His timing and the circumstances that He leads us through. “…. Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6)

Jesus fed all those people. But he used his disciples to do it. He could have created the miracle on his own, but he didn’t. He chose to use His people instead. Like us, the disciples had to put their trust in Jesus in order to make the unimaginable happen. As a result, the disciples were blessed and their doubts about Jesus meeting all their needs were put aside….again.

Why again? Because, like the disciples, it seems like I (and admit it, you too), have to be continually reminded of this lesson of obedience and sacrifice. And so, when I came once again to that place in the wilderness where I felt like I could not take one more step, I would never be able to follow the calling God had brought me to, He once more whispered those four little words to me, “…be still and know…” (Psalms 46:10)  And so I did. I became still, I listened and I knew; God’s calling was still there, despite whatever detours came my way, and He put the pen in my hand, the words in my heart, and I wrote them down.