God is Leading Us Forward // M-Note 2.3.23

Often our biggest challenge isn’t that we don’t know what to do, but that we are afraid to do it. Fear so often gets in the way of listening to the voice of God in our lives. But Jesus is the one who assures us that we do not have to be afraid because he has our back. He goes with us. His power is available to us. That is why Paul writes,
 
“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” (Phil. 4.13)
 
For the past month at The Gathering we have talked about how God shows up in our everyday lives through signs that range from an inner nudge to a major life disruption. Signs can look a lot of different ways, but Jesus promises that we are never left alone. God is always with us and God is leading us. This doesn’t mean that it is easy to take a step forward, try something new, leave behind something familiar, or take a risk. Fear is not a sign of weakness or unfaithfulness. Fear is a sign that we are on the cusp of growth.
 
As we leave this series behind and get ready to start a new one, I want to encourage each of you that is wrestling with a decision or trying to figure out the direction of your life. Stay open and pay attention to those signs around you. Remember to create space to hear from God. Test the decisions you will make and don’t rush in. But maybe most importantly, don’t let fear stop you. Remember that God never promises the next step will be easy. But God does promise that we will never be left alone, that God’s power will be available to us, and that God always has a hopeful future prepared for us.
 
If you have a friend who is going through a tough time or facing hard decisions, I encourage you to share the series Signs and Wonders: Seeing God in Everyday Life. You can find it online or in The Gathering app and easily post it or text it to a friend.
 
This weekend, we will be starting a new series called Sent. I will be talking about something that is challenging for me and most of us. While we tend to think about faith as internal and personal, Jesus asks his followers to make it external and public. He calls each of us to be witnesses, those who share faith with others. Over the next few weeks, I will talk about what it means to be a witness, why we struggle with that, and how becoming more open about our faith can deeply change the lives of people around us.
 
This year is off to a great start. I love seeing so many of you in worship. If you haven’t been in a while, this is a great weekend to join me. Have a great weekend and I will see you Sunday.
 
Peace,
Matt