Fog

I drove to work in the fog today. I was thinking about how walking by faith is similar to driving in the fog.

I am feeling restless.  For the first time in my adult life I am not involved in a ministry of any kind.  I’m plugged into a good church and getting fed but I have no outlet.  I’ve worked with high school and college age kids since I went to college.  (and that was a long time ago.)  Now I have no outlet and I’m frustrated.  I feel spiritually constipated --- OK – sorry for that analogy.

We moved here believing that it was what God wanted for us and I haven’t changed my mind on that fact.  I really had a peace in my heart about moving.  However, that peace is gone.  I don’t want to say I am discontented because how spiritual does that sound?    Paul tells us that he learned to be content in all circumstances.  Perhaps I just need to learn contentment.  But then again, I don’t want to be content in doing nothing.  What a dilemma!

So my life is kind of foggy.  Not sure where the Lord is leading but that is where faith comes in.  Just as I followed the car in front of me through the fog this morning, so I am also following Jesus.  Keeping my eyes on him in such a way that I can’t see anything else through the fog. 

One of my favorite passages from Scripture is from Hebrews 12 where it tells us to fix our eyes on Jesus because He is the author and perfecter of our faith.   The same chapter tells me to run with perseverance the race marked out for me.  I guess I just want to see the whole race track and I can’t see the path before me right now.  That’s where faith comes in.  Going back to Hebrews 11, it says that faith is confidence in what we hope for and the assurance about what I can’t see.

Hebrews 11:6 says that it is impossible to please God without faith.  Remember that faith depends on what God is like, not what I am like.  God is the rewarder of them that seek Him.  I don’t find out what faith is by consulting my needs or how I feel, I find out what faith is by looking at who God is.  The more I know about God and his character, the more conformed my life is to His, the greater my faith in Him.  The better I know Him, the more convinced I will be of things unseen and the more God’s love and fullness will be displayed in my life.

A couple things can help with spiritual fog.

Get to know the Savior.  I can more easily get lost in the fog if I am not familiar with the area I am driving in than if I am driving in my hometown.  In my hometown I know all the major landmarks and all the turns in the road.  In my spiritual life it is easier to navigate if I know God’s Word and His character.  The better I know Him, the easier it is to hang on when times are tough. 

Keep your eyes wide open and keep looking.  When confronted with fog, I squint and search to try to spot familiar landmarks through the mist.  If I gave up and just closed my eyes and said I can’t see through all of this, I would surely crash.  The same is true spiritually.  I need to strain to see God.  I need to search for how He is working in my life.  He’s there and at work.  He will never leave me or forsake me. 

The fog in my life really doesn’t change anything.  I can’t make it go away but I can depend on the Lord to be there by my side to walk me through it.