You might have to make a strategic move
in order to fulfill God’s plan for your life.
During a recent conference in Georgia my
friend Barbara Wentroble taught an insightful message from the book
of Ruth. She pointed out that Ruth, a hopeless young gentile widow,
never would have inherited God’s blessings if she had stayed in the
forsaken land of Moab. She had to leave her home and travel to
Bethlehem with her mother-in-law, Naomi. Once Ruth was repositioned,
she discovered God’s salvation and favor—and she ended up in the
lineage of the Messiah.
The Bible is full of stories of people who had to move from one place
to another to align with God’s plans. Abram and Sarai left their
relatives in Ur; Moses had to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt; Nehemiah
had to travel from Persia to Jerusalem. In the New Testament, Peter
had to go to Cornelius’ house in Caesarea; Paul had to sail to
Rome; and God had to scatter the disciples (see Acts 8:1) so they
would fulfill the Great Commission.
“When the Lord is getting
ready to do a new thing, He repositions us. God wants us in the right
place at the right time.”
None of these transitions were easy. We
prefer the comfort of the familiar and the security of a steady
paycheck. But faith is a journey, and it often leads us to places we
would never choose on our own.
As I have pondered Barbara’s message,
I’ve found myself asking questions about my own alignment. Am I in
the right place to receive from God? Is He calling me to shift in any
way—either geographically or in my relationships? Many respected
prophetic voices have been talking recently about alignment because
it is a crucial issue for God’s people. When the Lord is getting
ready to do a new thing, He repositions us.
God wants us in the right place at the
right time. Are you in proper alignment? Here are a few questions to
ponder:
1. Are you
part of a faith community? I meet many Christians today who tell
me they have stopped attending a local church, either because they
were wounded by a pastor or because they feel church is irrelevant to
them. I don’t doubt that the wounds are real. But to pull away from
the church is to cut yourself off from the fullness of His blessing.
As imperfect as the church is, it is still His plan. God’s
anointing has never rested on Lone Rangers who are motivated by an
independent spirit.
Corrie ten Boom once wrote: “When a
Christian shuns fellowship with other Christians, the devil smiles.”
Please don’t let bitterness or disillusionment give Satan an
advantage in your life.
2. Do you have mentors?
Oftentimes the reason we are not where we need to be spiritually is
that we are not connected to the people who can help us reach our
full potential. Ruth needed Naomi to reach her destiny; Elisha needed
Elijah; and Timothy needed Paul. Genuine discipleship is not about a
person controlling you—it is about having an older, more
experienced Christian in your life to provide loving encouragement
and wise counsel. Don’t try to do life alone. God wants to place
special people in your path to propel you forward.
3. Are you in any unhealthy
relationships? Abraham had to separate from Lot, and David had to
leave Saul’s house. Sometimes people can hinder our fruitfulness in
ministry, especially if they refuse to submit to God’s agenda.
Don’t be unequally yoked. Lot’s wife died because her
relationships in Sodom held a vice-grip on her soul, preventing her
from relocating into the safety of God’s will. Now is the time to
escape from toxic people who are thwarting you.
4. Are you in the center of God’s
will? People constantly ask me how they can discern the will of
God for their lives. I don’t believe there is a cookie-cutter
formula, but it is not difficult to know God’s will if we will (1)
read the Bible consistently; (2) pray fervently; (3) develop a
submissive will, and (4) expect to hear His voice. The key to hearing
God lies in your willingness to obey.
God
still speaks today. Just as He told Abram to leave his father’s
country and go “to the land which I will show you” (Gen. 12:1,
NASB), He can give you clear directions. If you desire to know His
plans for you, He will reveal them. He does not dangle carrots in
front of us, nor does He play emotional games to keep us in the dark.
He beckons us to align with His will, and His greatest blessings
await us when we make the faith journey.
J.
LEE GRADY is
the former editor of Charisma
and the director of The
Mordecai Project.
You can follow him on Twitter at leegrady. To listen to Barbara
Wentroble’s message, “Aligning for Success,” given at the Bold
Venture Women’s Leadership Gathering on Feb. 24, 2012, click here.
