Editor’s note: Columns in the Faith section reflect opinions and perspectives of the writer and are not necessarily those of The Republic.
I remember the day oh so well.
Here’s the back story:
It was the beginning of my senior year in college and it was time for me to declare my major and minor. Was I going to choose sociology and psychology or another interest of mine?
Ever since I was a senior in high school, I had strongly considered being a social worker. My sociology teacher’s wife was one, and I felt drawn to the stories he told in class about her experiences.
From that time on, I wondered as to whether this was the Holy Spirit wooing me to follow him into this vocation. Now, it was just a matter of putting on paper as to the direction I believed God was leading me.
All of a sudden, though, I felt conflicted. I had not felt this inner conflict before that day. I had been at peace about it along the way but now found myself getting cold feet about this whole decision.
As I walked into the efficiency kitchen located on the third floor of my dorm, I placed my feet onto two floor tiles about 8 inches apart as I looked up at a cream-colored cinder block wall straight ahead. I then pictured God to be in the middle of it as I concentrated on what I was about to say to him.
From my mouth came the words, “I don’t want to be a social worker! I want to be a physical education teacher. Not only would I enjoy doing this much more but the emotional pressures of being a full-time people helper would be great and I don’t want to do this for the rest of my life, Lord.”
I, then, turned around and walked out of that little kitchen after just telling God what I was going to do and, basically, was not going to do.
This is what my next hours were like:
I recognized that I was running from God and I was in emotional turmoil, couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep and couldn’t concentrate. I was experiencing the basic “Jonah syndrome.”
Remember our friend from the Book of Jonah in the Bible? He found himself to be a wretched mess, or as some today would say, “a hot mess,” when he decided he was going to run from something God wanted him to do.
After 24 hours of feeling absolutely miserable, I went back to that same little kitchen, put my feet back onto the same two floor tiles I previously had done and looked straight ahead at the same cream-colored cinder block wall.
I then said to God, “I will make myself available to do whatever you want me to do for the rest of my life. Where and when you lead me, I will follow. I don’t ever want to be this miserable again!”
From that day until now, I’ve tried to follow wherever and whenever I believed God, through His Holy Spirit, was leading me to go. This all brings me to my present-day natural disaster relief work across the United States and my willingness to be obedient to when and wherever I believe God calls me to go.
I do not go to all natural disasters. I go only to the ones I believe God wants me to go to, and I’ve received a definite confirmation through God’s Word and his Holy Spirit that that is what I am supposed to do.
He has always been good to send me on my way with one Bible verse in particular, and one Christian song that he bring to my mind every day the whole time I am away, whether this is 10 days or a month. This is such an encouragement to me.
I confess to you that I did not want to go, but I became willing to that day my senior year in college when I told the Lord I would go when and where he calls me to go.
Now, what about you? What is it you are saying “no” to God about? Don’t you think it’s about time to say to Him instead, “Yes, Lord, where and when you lead me, I will follow?” You will never regret it.
John 8:12 in part reads, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”
I would like to close today by telling you what a very wise pastor once said to me. He said, “Whenever you think about being only one follower of Jesus Christ and you ask yourself the question, ‘What is it that only one person can really do?’ Just remember what God did through Moses.’”
Nita Evans, of Columbus, is owner of Confidential Christian Counseling, focusing her work especially with ministry leaders and their families. She is also a Columbus Police Department chaplain and a national retreat and conference speaker. She can be reached at 812-614-7838 or by visiting specialspeaker.com. Send comments to [email protected]
