God, What's Next?

Have you ever felt like a season of your life was coming to an end and you were curious about what was next? What about wanting to know what was next because you could no longer handle the pressures of where you currently stood? One way or another, I believe we have all been there. Over the past few months, I have been receiving visions, angel numbers, prophecies, and messages from strangers that confirm that the time in this specific season of my life is ending. God has shown me visions of my future. However, no signs were clear regarding how I was supposed to get there. This left me feeling anxious, so I prayed and asked God to lead and direct me to the next part of my journey.

In the midst of my angst, I did not doubt God. In fact I turned to Him even more for answers and discernment. I wanted to ensure that I was in tune with God, so I could hear if He was speaking. In my last blog post, I wrote about getting a tune up and I felt like my spiritual engine was restored. I began seeking God's face by reading and meditating on His word, filling my spirit with gospel music, surrounding myself with kingdom citizens, journaling, etc. Even with that intentionality, I still had questions for God and I anticipated a response.

Let's just say, I received one that I did not expect. Silence. Every time I asked God what was next in my life, I was reminded of the assignment that God already gave me. The old Monica would have taken matters into her own hands. The saying, it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission was how I handled everything in the past. I could care less about seeking God for direction because I was going to take control of the situation if God's way did not seem promising. I would have left my current job, moved to another city, started a new position, etc. After reading the book of Isaiah (specifically chapter 30) I knew I could not afford to take my own course of action. Each detour that I made in the past got me out of alignment with God and pushed me out of position. Then, God would have to get me back on track and it delayed the very thing that I was asking God for.

I refused to have the same result this time. Therefore, I prayed and asked God for His will to be done. I started wondering if I fulfilled my purpose in this current season and the answer was no. Suddenly, I heard God clearly and He did not have to say a word. The truth is, God did not need to tell me what was next, because He was showing me along the way. Part of me still held onto that old mentality of needing to be in control. I wanted to know what was next because I wanted to prepare myself/get ready for the next season. How could I do that if I I was looking so far into the future that I could not see how God was making provisions in my current position. Marinating in my current position was critical because it allowed me to see God's hand in my life now. Which caused me to stop worrying about what was next even though signs kept confirming that this season of my life was ending.

Anytime something ends, I inevitably look for a new beginning. Not realizing that there were things that I had to experience in my current position to understand the next. Healing from past hurt was also necessary because there was no room for baggage where God was calling me to. God needed me to know that this chapter of my life was not over yet. Pay attention to the word yet, we as flesh don’t like that term because it means that we have to wait for something. Being in this position of purpose was tiring and I was ready for something new. God was trying to reveal that the position is both temporary and necessary. This means that we cannot afford to focus on where we stand, but why we were placed there. The sooner we understand the why and fulfill it, the sooner God can take us to our next season. Oftentimes, we do not want to wait for what is next because it looks better than our current situation. So, we aimlessly take the wheel and try to accelerate the process. This causes us to neglect the very purpose that was meant to prepare, position and propel us to the promises of God.

Isaiah 30:21 says, "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it'." When I read that scripture, I realized that I was so focused on what was next, I could not see where God was taking me. God appeared silent because He was not telling me what I wanted to hear, but saying exactly what I needed to hear. I heard the Lord guiding me back to my purpose, but I was not trying to listen to that. I knew how to fulfill purpose because God already showed me my assignment in the season that I’m currently in. The problem was, I wanted God to show me my purpose in the season that I was about to enter. God showed me the way by speaking and directing; all I had to do was follow (not question the process). The moment I realized that, I no longer needed to ask God what was next because my obedience in my current position was guiding me into my next season all along.

Advice: When God speaks, listen. When God directs, follow.