The Ripples That Come From Obeying God

 

© 2010 Hiroyuki Takeda, Flickr | CC-BY-ND | via Wylio

I’ve been thinking about how dropping a stone into water makes those circles of ripples spread further and further away from where the stone actually dropped. Or I remember how we used to sit on the beach at Red Rock Bible Camp, and a boat would drive by, making waves that would hit the beach long after it had driven away.

That’s what my life feels like right now – I’m feeling the ripples that come from obeying God.

Way back in November, God asked me to trust Him, stop going to all of my therapists for a month, and watch Him heal me. That led to some crazy experiences in December, which led to some awesome changes in my body by January, which led to me getting pregnant in February.

Sometimes I sit here, feeling our baby kick away like crazy inside of me, and it blows my mind to think that I almost missed this!!!

If I had said “No” to God, if I hadn’t acted in obedience because I was terrified, a whole person would not be entering this world! Our family would be missing a member. We would be missing out on the chance to have a son.

At the time, I had NO IDEA what my obedience would lead to, but looking back, it’s pretty amazing!

Or take my friend that came with me to the retreat I spoke at in spring. Because she attended that retreat, she was invited to be part of something really awesome and exciting that I’m quite positive will end up affecting a lot of people in powerful ways. I almost didn’t ask her to come! It felt kind of crazy to ask her to, but the experience itself was amazing, and we’re seeing the ripples spreading now. Who knows where they’ll go?!

I love it! It fills me with this overwhelming excitement to be a part of whatever God’s got up His sleeve! I don’t want to miss any of it!

When I’ve shared this idea with some people, they respond more to the fear of it – “What if I miss something??!” 

But I just feel the excitement and opportunity – “What can I be a part of? What’s going to happen next?!”

I can’t picture God sitting in heaven, saying, “Well, I had an awesome life planned for you, but you said no that one time, and you missed your chance! Too bad!”

Seems to me there’s a ton of grace, and multiple chances, and He understands our fear and hesitancy, and maybe He says, “If you’re not ready this time, we’ll try again later. You’re coming along – keep learning, keep trying! We’ll get this yet!”

That’s what I imagine, anyway! So I try to remember to start the day with saying, “What are you doing today, God? Open my eyes so I can see what You send my way. Help me to be ready for it! Make me sensitive to your leading – I don’t want to miss a thing!”