Under Fire - Loved, chosen, & empowered

Forfeit peace Ins

(This post first published on January 25, 2018.)

I don’t like chaos, uncertainty, or when things don’t go according to plan–and I often have a plan. The problem comes when I allow my agenda to overshadow God’s voice. My guest blogger, Linda Shenton Matchett can relate.

Running Ahead of God?
by Linda Shenton Matchett

Crisis mode is never a good way to operate, but I have found myself there on more than one occasion.

I manage a boarding school’s dining hall, and meals tend to run smoothly. Until we lost electrical power. Chaos reigned. Fortunately, dinner had already been prepared or we would have had to serve PB&J. As the kids streamed in, we stumbled around looking for flashlights. (Of course, more than one contained dead batteries!)

Convinced the power would soon return, I waited before breaking out the paper plates and plastic forks. Dirty dishes, cups and silverware stacked up the dish room while the chefs figured out how to keep hot things hot and cold things cold. Our biggest concern was whether we would have enough to feed five hundred people. Though we got through the meal, the dining staff became frustrated and exhausted.

Fast forward to last week, when we lost power again. This time we had procedures in place that included having battery-powered lanterns and flashlights close at hand (with fresh and extra batteries!). Staff members had assignments, thus knowing exactly what was expected of them. The chefs had a standby “without power” menu. Although challenging, we served dinner with smiles in the soft glow of emergency lighting. Preparation and planning made all the difference.

God used both experiences to speak to me about preparation (and the lack thereof) in my life. He asked me how many times I’d done something without preparation that resulted in disastrous outcomes. I became disappointed when things didn’t go as I wanted.

Perhaps if I’d planned ahead, and more specifically, prayed about the situation, the outcome would have been positive.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn’t it? But forethought is even better.

I’m a doer. As much as I enjoy being with people–lots of people–when it comes to a task, I prefer to work alone. I love the feeling of charging ahead to get the job done. Did you catch that? “Charging ahead.”

Spurgeon quote ins Though I’ve been a Christian most of my life, I often run ahead of God, turning to look behind to see if He’s keeping up. Fortunately, He is patient with me, and He reins me in with His soft, gentle voice. The Holy Spirit nudges me to seek the Father’s will before I start the task, project, or journey–to ask Him if it’s something I should be doing or should wait to begin. To consider whether He’d like others to be involved. He reminds me that listening to God is how one plans ahead.

What about you? Have you raced ahead of God lately? Do you need to rethink your modus operandi? Reach for God’s hand. He wants to be your partner.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11, NLT).

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Let’s talk about this! What resonated most with you as you read Linda’s post? Do you have a tendency to run ahead of God? What’s the result been? Have you ever had Him use chaos, like He did with Linda, to guide and teach you? Share your thoughts and stories with us in the comments below, because we can all learn from each other!

Get to know Linda:

Linda Shenton Matchett is an author, journalist, blogger, and history geek. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry, Linda has lived in historical places most of her life. She is a volunteer docent at the Wright Museum of WWII and a trustee for her local public library. Active in her church, she serves as a choir member, usher, and treasurer. She lives in the central New Hampshire. Connect with her on at her website, on Facebook, follow her on Pinterest, and sign up for her newsletter HERE.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright (c) 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinios, 60188. All rights reserved.

Check out her latest release, Under Fire:

Set in April 1942, Under Fire tells the story of Ruth Brown whose missing sister Jane is declared dead. Convinced her sister is still alive, Ruth follows clues from their small New Hampshire town to war-torn London trying to find her. Discovering that Jane has been murdered results in a faith crisis for Ruth, and she decides she must find Jane’s killer. In her pursuit, she stumbles on black marketers, resistance fighters, and the IRA – all of whom may want her dead.

From Bondage to Abundance: One Woman's Testimony About Learning to Live Free – Faith Over Fear

Without God's perfect love, we cannot be free from condemnation and the bondage that we all face here on earth. But with God, we can live life and live it abundantly. Before knowing the Lord, Marina was living in bondage. Hear Marina’s incredible testimony and the ways God is using her story now as she serves in the Samaritan’s Purse Germany office. This episode was created by Samaritan's Purse and is part of their On the Ground with Samaritan's Purse podcast content, shared with permission. Resources: Listen to “Fighting Spiritual Battles: Human Trafficking in Berlin,” to hear more about Alabaster Jar and how God is transforming hearts amid spiritual darkness. Marina Nobiling, director of national programs at the Samaritan’s Purse Germany office, shed light on the current cultural and spiritual climate of Germany and talked about the ongoing Samaritan’s Purse projects in the country. There is an immense need for the Gospel to be preached in Germany and for Bible-believing churches to step up and lead. “We want to stand for the Gospel. We want to stand for Jesus … And we want to show in our programs and projects what it's like to be with Him; to be living with Jesus.” – Marina Nobiling Before coming to Christ, Marina said she was not merely neutral towards God, she was an enemy. Marina was in bondage—she battled an eating disorder and anxiety for years to the point of planning to take her own life. But when Marina had an encounter with the Lord, everything changed. “And I had a voice in my head: ‘I want you to live. And you can do it with my help’ … It was beyond any doubt clear. That's Jesus. My whole life I had the wrong thinking. That's not true. God exists.” – Marina Nobiling Marina went from believing that the Gospel was an old superstition to knocking on the door of the nearest church, asking to be baptized. She was on fire for God. Marina now takes this compassion to the streets of Berlin, ministering to women who are trapped in prostitution. She remembers what it was like to be in bondage and desires for others like her to be free; to be transformed by the love of Christ. Life can be hard, and Marina still struggles, but she has something to turn to that cannot be shaken: God’s Word. Marina created a “first aid kit” with Psalms and Scriptures that speak to her when she is fighting lies or feeling weighed down by fears. Her favorite verse, Isaiah 43:1, reminds her that she belongs to the Lord—nothing can take that away. “But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.’” – Isaiah 43:1, ESV If you’d like to keep up to date with more stories from On the Ground, please visit SamaritansPurse.org. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.