“You ever have the sense that you are supposed to do something,” Stan asked, “but you didn’t know quite why?”
“Lots of times,” I responded. “Why do you ask?”
“I was talking with a neighbor last night,” Stan replied, “and he told me a story about being led by God when he didn’t even know God was leading, but he found out later why he did something he couldn’t quite understand at the time.”
“What was that all about?” I asked.
“Well,” Stan replied, “this neighbor is retired now after a long and successful career as an attorney. It seems that at one point he was a partner in a successful law firm in New York City. Everything was going well. He was enjoying all that the world had to offer, when out of the blue he got a telephone call from a recruiter.”
“What kind of recruiter?”
“A fellow who was hired by a law firm in Seattle to recruit my neighbor to become a partner in a law firm there. My neighbor said he was surprised, but decided to look into it. He had no real desire to leave New York and all that he was enjoying there, but he eventually decided to accept the offer and he moved to Seattle.”
“Big move,” I commented.
“It was,” Stan replied, “and my neighbor told me it was two years later that he discovered the reason why he moved.”
“So he could be successful in the Seattle law practice?”
“Much more than that,” Stan replied. “Apparently he was very successful with the firm in Seattle, but what he discovered as the reason for the move was right in the neighborhood where he and his wife lived.”
“In the neighborhood?” I said. “How so?”
“My neighbor told me that there was a church a couple of blocks down the street from where he lived in Seattle. He was drawn to the church, began attending the services there, and eventually became a Christian pursuing discipleship.”
“This was all new to him?” I asked.
“That’s what he said,” Stan replied. “He said he had never had the slightest interest in anything to do with God, but that in retrospect he knows beyond a shadow of doubt that God called him to move across the country to find a little church in Seattle where he found God!”
“God moves in mysterious ways,” I commented.
“Yes, He does,” Stan replied. “He moves and, if we are open to what He has for us, He moves us. We may not know at the time what God is doing or why, but He will show us if we are open to seeing. Seems to me that Jesus talked to the apostle Peter about that.”
“How so?” I asked.
“In the upper room before Jesus went to the cross, when Jesus washed the disciples’ feet,” Stan replied. “Peter objected to having Jesus wash his feet, Jesus told him that while Peter did not realize what Jesus was doing, he would understand later.”
“That sounds just like your neighbor’s story,” I commented.
“It does, doesn’t it?” Stan responded. “And it seems to me that God has the same message for each of us: we may not understand now, but we will when we are open to seeing and following!”
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Bible verses to consider:
Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.” John 13:7.
You call me teacher and Lord; and you are right; for so I am. John 13:13.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, that you guide and lead me where you want me to be even when I don’t understand. I confess that too often I am reluctant to do what I cannot understand and am reluctant to go when I don’t know why. Please help me to follow you wherever, however, and whenever, even and especially when I cannot see what you have in mind for me. Help me to truly have a faith walk with you. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you ever been in a situation where you sensed you were to do something, go somewhere, or the like, and you didn’t know why? If so, did you follow your sense? What happened? Can you look back to a time and see where God was clearly leading even though you didn’t know He was? If so, reflect on it and think about what would have happened if you would have ignored Him. When you sense you are to do something and you don’t know why, what are the best ways for you to get confirmation?
Waiting for the Train 