“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” ~ Galatians 5:25
“Those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.” ~ Romans 8:14
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said.” ~ Mark 1:17
God has been teaching me so much about following Christ lately. Seriously, I feel like I’m living in a Bible story.
A couple of weeks ago I tapped into Google in an attempt find a good book on Spirit-led leadership and, surprisingly, couldn’t find much. At first I was shocked by this wasteland, this hole, until I realized I was grasping at straws. Sure, leaders brave a different landscape than followers, but when it comes to being led by the Spirit, it really doesn’t matter whether we’re leaders or followers. We all listen to God and obey him the same way. So the best book on Spirit-led leadership would be one on a Spirit-led life. God has no interest in anointing my leadership if I have no interest in letting him anoint everything else.
Over the past five years, something strange has happened to me. I’ve drifted away from the moment-by-moment leadership of Jesus I used to enjoy so regularly. I don’t know how I got here, can’t think of a turning point or pivotal moment. I think what probably happened is I gradually started leaning on my own understanding, gifts, abilities, and experience. So easy to do. So tempting. So it didn’t really happen to me. I happened into it.
The past week or so, the voice of Jesus has been so clear and powerful that I feel like I’ve been sleepwalking longer than I care to remember. God has been speaking vividly to me about my leadership, my calling, and in particular, what moves I’m supposed to make, how, and when.
What I find fascinating is how radically my sense of clarity has shifted with this fresh intimacy with Jesus. I used to have such clarity about the big picture—where I was going, how I was going to get there, what the destination would look like when I “arrived.” I didn’t usually feel led on the day to day stuff, though. Mostly, I just did what seemed right to do at the time.
That’s all gone haywire now. I have no idea where this new path will lead, what I’m supposed to do long term, what the strategy should be, and what it will look like when I get anywhere close to wherever it is God is pointing me. What I do have is near perfect clarity on what I’m supposed to do next. I see my next step, and the one after that is beginning to form in my mind. After that, absolutely nothing firm.
The funny thing is, I don’t care that I don’t know what I thought I used to know. I’d rather walk in step with God’s Spirit into the unknown than make impressive progress down a path I wasn’t supposed to take.
Brother, you poured your heart out. And in doing so you have encouraged my heart. Thanks for your openness and geniune honesty. God can be counted on for sure.
Thanks Scott. You’re a great encourager.