Where Did You Find God Today?

I looked up as I drove down the highway and saw geese in a V formation. I thought, “Wow. Odd time of year to see them. It’s the middle of January. They migrate in the autumn, right?”

A chill, like a million microscopic, icy-footed ants, jumped from my heart and dashed down to my hands as they gripped the steering wheel. What I saw was an answer to prayer. I found God today in the V formation of the geese.

Geese fly in a V to conserve energy for the long trip. Their leader is at the point of the V. But, after a while, that leader tires of fighting the wind currents. It drops back and another takes over. The other geese support the tired one. The V formation continues, and so does their journey.

So should be the same for us Christians, no matter our ministry. I will admit it. I am tired – emotionally, physically and a bit spiritually. I’ve been flapping my wings like mad as the leader in several organizations. It shows in the darkening circles under my eyes. 

Through these geese, God revealed to me it is time for me to drop back and let someone else take over. “But Lord,” I asked. “My terms as president is not over for 5 months in one organization, and a year in another. There is still a long journey ahead.”

Suddenly, one of the geese flew to the front of the V. I watched as the leader dropped back a pace or two, but not to the end of the line. It positioned itself near the front, just behind a place or two. I had my answer.

Oh, yeah, My Lord is the one who should take over at the tip of the V. He’s the one who never tires, controls the wind, and always knows the direction we are going. Somewhere along the way, I’d lost sight of that fact. I’d been flapping so hard,my head was downcast against the winds–my eyes squeezed tight in determination, my teeth clamped together as I trudged on. No wonder I’ve been so tense… and exhausted. God made me realize (again) that I am not flying this journey alone. He didn’t say,. “Here – it’s yours. See you later.” He’s been flying there with me the whole time.

 My Savior whispered into my heart, ” Drop back and let me take over now. It’s not because you’ve failed, it is because you have succeeded.” In His quiet way, God told me It’s okay for me to rest my wings for a time- under the momentum of His mighty ones. I need to recuperate- to be carried by the current of His grace. In fact, isn’t that where I should have been all along? Humility washed over me as my eyes teared. I whispered back, “Thank you,Lord.”

 If I am to complete the journey of leadership in which He placed me, I need to let Him take over. First, because He needs to be in control, not me. Second, so I can replenish my strength and pace this journey by following His lead. That way, I will not only be more able to prepare others to lead when the time comes, but show them, by example, the benefits of letting Him lead.

V is for victory…and vacation. It is not for vainglory. We don’t need to be busy,busy, busy all the time to be good Christians. (Recall the story of Martha and Mary in Luke 10:38-42?)  God gave us rest, patterned after Himself on the seventh day of creation. I need to rest in Him so I can prepare for:

• the continuation of this journey,  
• the next ministry He wants to train me up in as these leadership positions come to an end,
• and, so I can support the new leaders He will raise up to flap ahead of me in the future. 

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Psalm 62:5

He will keep the momentum going as long as He wants the journey to last. That is not my job. I just need to flap in sync with Him and encourage the others behind me to do the same.

Where in your life do you need to drop back and let God lead a while? Are you willing to let someone else be ahead of you?