People allow their lives to be directed by all sorts of things. Some people follow careers, some follow sports, some follow money, some follow pleasure, some follow happiness.
But as for us, we are (or should be) following the cloud.
I am alluding, of course, to Numbers 19. When the cloud rested over the tabernacle, the people remained. Whether it was a day or a month or what the Bible describes without further definition as “a longer time,” they stayed put. But as soon as the cloud lifted, they set out, and kept on following the cloud until it came to rest again.
Timing is usually where we get it wrong. Most of us, if we are walking with the Lord in a faithful way, have a good idea of the things he is calling us to do and the promises he has made. But our sinful nature pushes us hard to get out of the things we find uncomfortable and tries to move us on into the better, easier and happier things we feel he has promised.
And we stop following the cloud. We move on when the cloud has not. We move in a direction different to where the cloud is heading. Or sometimes the cloud moves and we don’t.
In the process, we start following other things. Happiness, fulfilment, career, money. And after a while, we don’t even know where the cloud is any more. I’ve seen too many professing Christians in that position.
People talk about their struggle finding God’s will for their lives. And sometimes the struggle is real. But it is a lot easier, in my opinion, to discern the will of God than to figure out the timing of its implementation. And that is because what the Bible calls our “flesh,” that part of us that does not connect with God, gets in the way. How many of us have received an encouraging word, direction or piece of counsel and assumed it would all come to pass by tomorrow at the latest? When the days, months or even years drag by and nothing happens, we become disillusioned and disappointed. And we strike out in our own direction.
Elaine and I have received many promises which have been fulfilled, but others have not been. I think of an extraordinary word that was given to us three times by different people in different countries over a period of 23 years. And no fulfilment. Yet.
But that’s fine, because we are cloud followers. Our job is not to determine the will of God, or to implement the will of God. Our job is to obey the will of God.
And sometimes obedience is summed up in one word: waiting. Or maybe two words: faithful waiting. Hebrews 6:12 puts it this way: “Through faith and patience we inherit the promises.” Find that verse and mark it.
In the end, it’s always worth following the cloud, because God does things better than us. Wait, watch and follow. You won’t be disappointed, because the cloud always leads to the One who created it.
CONSIDER PARTNERING WITH DAVID & ELAINE CAMPBELL IN HELPING TO SUSTAIN THEIR ACTIVE MINISTRY.
AWAKENING MINISTRIES // FOUNDATION of FAITH Project
Foundation of Faith Project is strengthening generations in faith and bringing beautiful changes to the communities around them. Through teaching, mentoring and coaching, many are finding out who they are and who they are destined to be. They are bringing more to their world. David Campbell is the key leader in this initiative and you can support him financially directly through Awakening Ministries.
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