Yield.

As many of you know, I'm the Children's Director at Fellowship Church. I started in May, just before graduation. If you would have asked me a year ago what I would be doing my answer would have been simply, "working in a public school." I had coffee with my friend Mallery last week and we talked about how our group of friends all set out to do one thing: work in a public school. What is funny is NONE of us are doing that. How wild is that? We all set out on a four year path that we felt was God's calling for our lives. Now, we are working in churches, working in christian schools, teaching in special needs schools, and teaching in other countries.

It's easy to attribute our career changes to the economy and the lack of jobs. But, I think there is more to it. God directs our steps in ways we cannot even imagine if we are willing to follow His call. It's easy to pursue what we want. But, when God tells you something different, it is not the most settling thing. In fact, it can be a very humbling experience. When you become a Christ follower, you give up your desires and work to align with God and His ways. The hard part is not knowing where you are going, what you'll be doing, and trusting God will provide.

When Jesus was calling his disciples he told them to drop everything and to follow him...everything? My reaction would not have been as the disciples. I would be asking Jesus a thousand questions. Where are we going? What will we be doing? What about my family? What will we do for food? Our house? The list goes on. Jesus simply instructed them to follow Him--no explanation.

Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for? Matthew 16: 24-26 (MSG)

It's kind of like Jesus just looked at his disciples and said, "Look, I've got this. Let me lead." How would you even respond to that? Now, let's take this to our lives today. God calls us to do the same today. Is it easy? No. What about when we can't pay our bills at the end of the month if we give back to God what he deserves? Doesn't God say that he'll take care of it? In fact, I would be more afraid to not give and keep everything than to give God nothing. After all, he is the one that gave us our jobs in the first place. What about when making career choices? Do you do what you know God wants you to do, or do what you want?  Is this easy? No way! But, Jesus clearly defines following Him as letting Him lead. 

Will you let God lead and yield to his ways?