You know you’re on the right track when it scares you a little.
Jeremiah is my favorite prophet. He lives out a refrain I often tell myself, “May what I do today be more important than how I feel about it.” In Chapter 20, he basically says, “I try to keep quiet, but can’t. It’s like a fire in my bones that consumes me until I speak. And when I do finally speak, it is only then that I know peace. But I’m not happy about it!”
Jeremiah’s fire is in his bones; mine is in my stomach. Psychosomatic ailments are not unreal; they’re just your mind telling your body that you’re not okay, something’s not right. My telling sign is my stomach feeling off. When I want to go left despite knowing I should go right, my stomach lets me know, “Nuh-uh. You know better,” and the thought occurs to me, “You know you’re going to end up going right eventually. Why not do it now? Save yourself the heartache!” That’s the Holy Spirit whispering.
I trust you can relate: we can all be immensely creative when trying to avoid doing the thing to which God is calling us.
When it comes to being faithful to Christ, he is always calling us outside our comfort zones. He asks us to do things of which we do not believe ourselves capable. But the call remains. It’s only later we realize that that’s how we grow in faith: doing things that God has to show up for in order for them to get done. When we step out in faith because we believe God is calling us to take that step, we will be blessed. It may not be easy. It may be a lesson we needed to learn. It may also be the start of something wonderful and fulfilling in your life.
Learning to discern is part of growing in faith.
May God give you ears that hear and eyes that see how God is calling you to be in Christ’s service this day and everyday!
Grace and peace,
Pastor Robin Miller Currás