In 2012 hubs and I were in Germany on an agricultural tour with 40 other people. In the middle of tradeshows, castles and quaint little markets, over coffee and fresh pastries we talked non-stop about the future. We were at a crossroads in our lives with no clear direction in sight. We knew that when we returned home something would have to change. The uncertainty was unsettling.
We prayed hard and often while on that trip. We felt the tug of desperation. Our prayers became purposeful and intentional. We wanted to know the Lord’s will for the next chapter in our lives.
But it wouldn’t have made much sense to pray and then just sit around waiting for the answer to show up, would it?
Do you remember our verses from last week?
Luke 11:9-10 “And I tell you, ask and it will be given to you;
seek, and you will find;
knock and it will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives,
and the one who seeks finds,
and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”
Steps
It’s pretty clear. We’re supposed to pray, then seek. We’re not meant to get stuck on the prayer part and never move past it.
There are 191 mentions of the word seek and it’s derivatives in the NT alone. Strong’s Concordance links the word seek in our verse with “in order to find”. It means to desire something, to endeavor to find it, enquire. Investigate.
Research
I’ve noticed something so interesting lately. Many of us mid-lifers are still looking for purpose. Maybe we’re riding out the last number of years in our job. Maybe we’re finding new career paths. Maybe we’re retiring.
None of that matters. What does matter is we want our lives to have impact in the world for Christ. Time feels short. We want life to count for something bigger than ourselves. We long for it to mean more than the sheer accumulation of stuff. We want to champion, to share, to give, to mentor.
Prepare
When trying to find direction in our lives, what starts with prayer should lead us next to preparation.
Upon returning home, hubs immediately got to work researching every idea we had talked about and prayed over while in Germany. He spent 3 months on the computer sifting through options.
His search was deliberate. Consuming. Intentional. Targeted. From his research we created a list of options that we felt were viable.
Collab
This is a collaborative effort between us and the Lord. He wants to reveal his will to us, he wants us walking in the path he has designed for us. He wants us to find it, but we have to do our part.
It’s called due diligence.
How? Thoroughly check facts and analyze impact. Return again and again to the Word for guidance. It is a careful and cautious investigation. It ensures that our decisions and choices are not based on assumptions but are grounded in the truth and covered in prayer.
Results
Verse 10 tells us that if we seek we will find what we’re looking for. It sounds so basic doesn’t it? If so, then why do we get mired down in a pit of despair? How do we get stuck whining to the Lord that we don’t know how to move forward?
Pray his will. Prepare for next steps.
My prayer and hope, no…actually my assurance is directly from scripture~ if you ask it will be given to you, if you seek you will find. And all of your prayers and preparation will then lead to some door knocking. That’s next week.
Blessings as you seek,
Rhonda