“Nevertheless let us not forget that the stops, as well as the steps, of a good man are ordered of the Lord. If the work is His work, let Him control it, and, whether we expand or contract, let it be at His bidding, and a matter of equal satisfaction to His servant.” from Soul Nourishment, George Mueller of Bristol
I’ve loved reading through Soul Nourishment during my times with the Lord the last two weeks. The insights and parallels between what I’m currently experiencing and what Mueller experienced amaze me as there are hundreds of years between us.
I’m surprised by how Mueller’s biggest challenge/temptation throughout his ministry was to wait and depend on the Lord for strength, wisdom, and action. He lived to prove that God answered prayer and could be solely counted on for everything.
Stop Moving and Stand Still
I’m positive that I hate the stops of life–I’m frustrated by the static and energized by change and movement, but I’ve experienced the stops of life to be most nourishing for my soul. I find myself in one of those stops both physically (I’m on the longest break of the year) and spiritually (God seems to be keeping my heart and mind focused on waiting, resting, and listening).
As much as I would prefer to be moving, I’m aware how often I run ahead of God’s presence and provision, lying to myself that God wants someone who can get things done in their own strength. I’m resentfully thankful (is that possible?) for this stop that exposes my commitment to self will and independence, while encouraging me that the stops are in fact are crucial part of God’s plan to redeem and sanctify my soul.
When you think about the next month of ministry can you clearly identify the stops that the Lord is placing in your life to get you to rest, depend, and wait on His power?
Brian Barela serves as the Director of New Media for Campus Crusade for Christ. Before that he spent seven years on campus, and was the first ministry in CCC to livestream their weekly meetings, and helped develop the paradigm for an integrated web presence that includes Facebook, SEO, Websites, and live-streaming. He blogs regularly here, tweets here, and can be added as a friend on Facebook here.
