There was a lot of “something new” going on when I closed my law practice to focus on Ciloa. God told me to do that, but it was a strange feeling walking away from something I had done for 40 years. Reminds me of Moses during the BBI (Burning Bush Incident).

Moses was herding sheep and I’m sure at times he wanted to do anything, else. Then God said, Go back to the Egyptians who want to kill you. Confront Pharaoh who hates you. And lead the Hebrews who don’t trust you out of Egypt. Moses replied, Sorry. We seem to have a bad connection. ¹

That’s how God often works. We want to “move on” and cry out, God, take me away from all this. Or we may be comfortable where we are with no thought of leaving. Either way, there are times when God says, I want you to do something different.

Jesus has left you as His example…

Different. New. No going back. Some see a time of excitement; many, shear dread. Others experience everything from “Yea God!” to “What was I thinking?”, “I can do all things through Christ!” to “Who do I think I am?” They go from faith to doubt…and back again.

Ah, faith to doubt and back again. You may be going through that now. It isn’t weakness. It’s reality. But it’s also a time to grow closer to God. The problem in all this is that we’ve been surprised. Why? Because we thought we were the ones leading our lives.

Hiking in a forest can tell us a lot. When the trail narrows, we must walk in single file. Only the leader can see the path. We walk, rest, slow down, hurry, and change direction, expecting the leader to make the decisions. As long as we follow him, we are safe.

…of one who follows in His steps. ²

That’s true in life. When Jesus says, Follow me, He has prepared a path for us. He’s the Leader. No one else. And like a hike in the forest, when we follow someone else or choose our own path, we take our eyes off our Leader and we lose our Way.

So we are surprised when He moves us with Him, makes us rest in Him, slows us down to care for others, hurries us on to the lost, and changes our direction. But while our direction changes, His path never does. His changes were necessary for us to stay on it!

Wherever we are, we must follow Jesus. Whoever we are with, we must follow Jesus. Whatever someone does to us, we must follow Jesus. ³ Throughout all of life’s difficulties, successes, tragedies and joys, we must follow Jesus. It is the calling of those who follow Him.

 

Ciloa Forever!

 

Chuck
 

 

 

Chuck Graham is Founder and Executive Director of Ciloa, an international ministry devoted to encouraging others and teaching them how to encourage one another. He is also an author and speaker. Chuck and his wife, Beverly, live in Lawrenceville, Georgia, USA. Learn more about Chuck and Ciloa at www.Ciloa.org.

 

 

 

 

Footnotes: (1) CIV (Chuck’s Inventive Translation) (2) Read 1 Peter 2:21. (3) Even someone who pulls out in front of you on the highway for the third time in less than a mile. But who’s counting?

 

Pictures: Banner: Narrow Ridge, CleverHiker.com. (1) Book cover of Following the Leader, Giving God the Reins by Lee Ann Layson, Westbow Press, 2019. (2) Photo from How to Hike the Appalachian Trail by Dennis Owens, WidernessMastery.com.