“You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.” Psalm 139:5-6 (ESV)
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Recently, and completely unexpectedly, I met a goddaughter.
I was in a waiting area when a young woman entered. You know that awkward moment when someone recognizes you, but you don’t recognize them? My mind raced as I looked for clues for how we knew one another. At a loss, I smiled. That was when she revealed one of my books held tightly in the curve of her arm. I hugged her and invited her to sit with me.
This beautiful young woman was in a season of new beginnings. Newly married, she’d moved away from friends and family. Her eyes sparkled with tears as she shared what the book had already meant to her. She opened the pages and showed me her highlighting.
As we spoke, it was so evident she loved God, loved the church and loved His Word. She desperately wanted to please God, and yet, she found herself frozen by confusion. She wasn’t sure if she was hearing God’s voice, her own, or — even worse — the voice of the enemy. She summed up all her questions and fears with one phrase: “I’m afraid I will miss God.”
Have you ever wrestled with that fear? I know I have!
On the surface, this fear of “missing God” sounds noble, but time has taught me that the enemy uses it to entrap people.
It changes the focus from His ability to lead, to our ability to follow.
This makes our Christian walk fear-driven rather than love- and faith-based. Satan perverts our godly desire to follow God’s leading by questioning every move we make until confusion traps us in inaction. The enemy freezes us with the fear of making a wrong move. He knows we can’t follow if we’re immobilized.
Listen, Jesus is not trying to trick you. He would not tell us to follow if it was impossible. He will make His way known.
Lovely goddaughter: I actually believe that if your heart is pure, it is impossible to miss God. Why do I think this?
He is just too big of a target.
Where can you aim and not come in contact with Him?
Where can you reach and not touch something that declares His existence?
Where can you look and not see the fingerprints of His majesty?
Look up, and discover His wonder in the stars.
Look down, and see His glory in a flower.
The mountains’ heights remind us He is our Rock of refuge.
The ocean’s roar declares His undeniable might.
The wind awakens our souls to His unseen presence as it whispers, “There is more.”
And if this knowledge doesn’t inspire you, there is even more good news. You, lovely goddaughter, are surrounded. Never again imagine there is a place or circumstance where you are alone. In Letters to Malcolm, C.S. Lewis highlights this truth: “We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God. The world is crowded with him. He walks everywhere incognito.”
No moment or place exists without His presence; there has never been a space void of Him — not in your past, present or future.
King David reveled in the wonder of God’s intimate presence in Psalm 139:5-7:
“You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?”
Goddaughter, if you are afraid of missing God, you don’t need to be. He’s way bigger than your fear. Just fix your aim on Him, and start moving. Trust His ability to lead you. A good shepherd knows how to lead His sheep even when they aren’t sure where they are going.
Jesus, despite my fear, I trust You to lead me. I know Your heart toward me is good. I rest knowing You can lead better than I can follow, and that as I choose to move forward in faith, You will direct my steps. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
TRUTH FOR TODAY
John 10:11a, “I am the good shepherd.” (NLT)
Matthew 28:20b, “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (NLT)
RELATED RESOURCES
For more encouraging words to spur you on as you follow Jesus, check out Lisa Bevere’s newest book, Godmothers: Why You Need One, How to Be One.
CONNECT
Learn more about Lisa at her website, and connect with her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Enter to WIN your very own copy of Godmothers: Why You Need One, How to Be One by Lisa Bevere. To celebrate this book, Lisa’s publisher will give away 5 copies! Enter to win by leaving a comment here. {We’ll randomly select 5 winners and then notify each one in the comments section by Monday, August 31, 2020.}
REFLECT AND RESPOND
What areas of your life do you think the fear of missing God is actually keeping you from what He’s called you to do?
What is the first step you can take to move forward despite your fear — trusting God to lead you if you make a wrong step? We’d love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments.
Lisa Bevere has spent nearly three decades empowering women to find their identity and purpose. She is a cancer survivor and a New York Times’ bestselling author. Her books include Without Rival, Adamant, Lioness Arising, and Girls with Swords. Lisa and her husband, John, cofounded Messenger International to develop uncompromising followers of Christ who transform their world. To this end, Messenger has given away more than 30 million resources in over 100 languages.
© 2020 by Lisa Bevere. All rights reserved.
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