by Dr. Amanda McElroy
“And I being in the way, the Lord led me.” Genesis 24:27
Life is full of decisions that will alter our path and our future. Knowing one is making the right decision can be intimidating, and sometimes downright scary. I often feel like I am being pulled in too many directions and am unsure of which opportunity to say “yes” to and which opportunity needs to be a “no.” I tell people I want to slow down, and then a shiny new opportunity says “hello!” And I find myself trying to include it in my Tetris-shaped schedule. There is a certain sense of exhilaration from accomplishing lots of things and being a highly productive person. But it isn’t always sustainable.
I also am not always sure of which of my current obligations should be getting my effort, energy, and focus today. There are so many little decisions that will affect what I accomplish each day, how do I know I’m choosing the correct priority? Sometimes I feel like a termite in a wooden yo-yo. I need to:
• Spend time with my staff and invest in those relationships
• Complete a multitude of office tasks that only I can do
• Read, study, and complete trainings for my own personal growth and development
• Consistently look for inner and outer environmental changes that are potential trouble or growth opportunities for the present and future
• Create resources and systems to improve the quality of my organization
• Spend time with my family
• Stay on top of housework
• Fulfill ministry obligations
• Practice musical instruments
• Take care of my animals
• Not lose my mind
• The list goes on and on…
With so many good possibilities for where to put my energy and effort every day, how do I know I made the best decision. They’re all good, but I want best. One thing I find helpful when I feel myself starting to unravel from being pulled in too many directions, is slowing down my mind and prioritizing the opportunities that I know – beyond a shadow of a doubt – are God’s will for my life. It is easy to let myself be distracted with things that don’t feed my life purpose or fuel my soul. Occasionally, I struggle to tell the distractions apart from the purpose-driven priorities.
For the most part, I find this struggle to be in my thought life. I want to over-analyze someone’s behavior toward me, or why I haven’t heard back from that one person. I chew on why a staff member’s demeanor is sour and what I should do about it, if anything. I wonder what life will look like two years or five down the road: finally met a husband? Kids? Same career path? Different career path? Does boss lady life get any easier? Will I still be facing outrageous opposition for trying to do a good thing within my organization? Who is my next administrator? When my receptionist moves to her chosen career field in a year, who will replace her? Will I ever figure out how to keep my houseplants alive? None of these ponderings help me fulfill my purpose today or make wise decisions today.
The story of Abraham’s servant comes to mind from Genesis 24. He was sent to another land to find Abraham’s son a wife and bring her back. Can you imagine the pressure of that task? With very little information to follow, he was tasked with going to a foreign place where he didn’t know a soul, and picking a young lady who would be a good fit for his master’s son. Not only did he have to find and choose her, but he also had to convince her to agree to return with him, a complete stranger, to a foreign land so she could marry another complete stranger. Whew. That’s a tall order! How did he manage to succeed in his mission?! His strategy was simple, and it’s one we can utilize today too:
Be where you are supposed to be, when you are supposed to be there, doing what you are supposed to be doing.
The servant arrived at his designation, having taken no shortcuts, no scenic route, no detours. He applied a little wisdom to his strategy and arrived at a time and location when the young ladies would be doing their chores. Had he been late because he procrastinated, he would not have met the lovely Rebekah. He was where he was supposed to be, when he was supposed to be there. That last part though, seems tricky. What was he supposed to be doing to find this young lady? Holding up a sign like a chauffeur at the airport would? “Wife wanted for master’s son, apply here.” Or perhaps, approaching lady after lady, interviewing them for the position? No, he waited and prayed. When he didn’t have a clear direction for how to approach the task, for which lady to approach, he stayed in the place he knew he should be, he prayed for wisdom and guidance, and then he waited for the Lord to make the answer clear. And the Lord granted his request, Rebekah approached him! The rest is, as you might say, history.
When I am unsure of the decisions and directions in front of me; when I am getting distracted by demands, obligations, and opportunities, I can follow the servant’s example. I can be where I’m supposed to be, when I’m supposed to be there, doing what I am supposed to be doing, especially if that looks like waiting on God.
The servant’s response to God guiding him to the right decision was to pray first, then worship and give thanks to God for the answer, and to acknowledge God’s goodness. His statement was this: “I being in the way, the Lord led me…” Genesis 24:27
When I am in the way – where I’m supposed to be, when I’m supposed to be there, doing what I’m supposed to be doing – the Lord can and will lead me to the right decisions.
When in doubt, go be in the way!
