Where do I go next? God Can I Please Have a Roadmap?
When it gets hard for me to trust and follow God, I wish He would just send down a burning bush, or a give me a big nudge on what I should do next. I went to 100% Sent Conference in New York City with one question in mind: “God what do you want me to do with my life?” As you can probably tell, God did not send down a burning bush nor gave me a big nudge at the end of the conference. Instead, God spoke to me through the staff who shared wise insights, friends who shared their stories, and brothers and sisters who prayed for me as I wrestled with questions and uncertainty of where God is calling me.
Here are some notes I jotted down as Leila Wong and Tommy Dyo spoke.
1.) Our highest calling is not to a place, or to a thing, but to someone (God).
2.) Our calling (as follower of Jesus) is to live a fully surrendered life.
3.) Calling is not one dimensional, and I don’t need to be identified by my decisions.
4.) God gives us freedom and peace to make decisions, and He will lead me in a direction as I am moving.
When the Barriers Seem Too Big
Christina, a staff with NYC Metro Epic, shared her story of facing the barriers of going into full time ministry. Some of her barriers resembled a lot of mine: approval of her parents, financial security, and fear of failure. As she faced her barriers, Christina realized she sought after her mother’s love and acceptance more that God’s love at times. I really appreciated how open and honest Christina was with sharing her struggles in honoring her parents. At the end of her testimony, Christina encouraged me to identify my barriers and trust God to use them to point where He is calling me to, even when it seems impossible.
In Times of Waiting
During the time of a self-guided prayer tour through Grand Central Terminal, I stood and watched the people walking off into different directions at the busy terminal. I saw some walking on to the platform, some leaving, and some just waiting for their train to arrive. As I watched the people come and go, I looked down on my paper. It read “Although we might not know much about [the people], we do know one thing for sure: none of them have Grand Central as their final destination; this is just a stop to get to wherever they need to go.”
I often find myself like a person waiting at the terminal. But as I wait, I get anxious, worried, and frustrated that my train hasn’t arrived yet. But throughout the day at 100% Sent, God reminded me that my calling is to Him. The more I seek who God is, He makes my calling sure and my desires clear.
So What Does It Look Like to Be 100% Sent?
While sharing her story, Janet Liu, a former staff with UC Irvine asked us a question—what does it look like for us to love God and serve Him wherever we are sent? Listening to Janet’s testimony, I realized that at times I find it hard to trust and move toward God. But throughout my time at 100% Sent, God reminded me that He is my Father, as I am His daughter. God is always faithful, He knows me well, and I can trust my life in His hands. Whatever move I make, I am going to move with boldness and peace, trusting that God will lead as I follow Him.
“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” Psalms 139: 23-24 (ESV)
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21 (ESV)
Sarah K. Kim, George Mason University