Jul 10
Secrets of the Journey to Delight
Sometimes, transition requires us to go someplace or do something so undefined that we are clueless to the next step we are to take. Much like Abraham in Genesis we have to go someplace that we don’t know. In the midst of the journey, it is easy to feel lost and perhaps alone. Once in a while we know what the end goal might be, but we don’t know where it is or how to get there. Just imagine that God told you to pack your bags, gather your belongings and go — just go.
We might be justified in asking, “Where do I go?” But God simply replies, “Go!” So we press again, “Okay, but at least tell me what direction to go. North, south, east or west?” Again God simply says, “Go!” We answer, “O Lord, please tell me so at least I can tell my family where we are going and my friends won’t think I loony.” Once again we hear that heavenly voice: “They’re going to think that no matter what you tell them — go!”
ABRAHAM’S JOURNEY: FINDING YOUR PROMISED LAND
Little do we know how important that first step of faith is. One day, we will transition from being dependent on others to being the leader of others, all because of this first step. But we don’t know that today. We just know that we want to obey God, and He said to GO! So we do it.
However, how do we balance obedience and responsibility? We have a family and responsibilities. Abraham even had livestock that somehow must be fed. Since we don’t know the path, we end up doing as Abraham did and let the livestock follow the grass trail — we simply try to handle each day as it comes. We don’t know the destination or how to get there, so every day the flock moves slowly, in seemingly random ways.
Months go by like this; the herd meanders from one pasture to the next, and we have not heard from God in a long time. In fact He has not spoken since we heard Him say, “GO.” Our friends are now looking at us with querying eyes, and even we are wondering, Was it just a dream?
To make matters worse, some family members lose faith in us and our ability to hear God speak. Some of those in our charge decide they can do better by themselves and run off to find their own destiny, as Lot did. In many ways, we don’t blame them, because the reality is we still don’t know where we are going! At least we’re surviving, and the grass trail before us continues to be plentiful.
A few more weeks go by, and we are pretty much at the lowest point of our journey. We start to tell our family that we’re rethinking our options, weighing their advice, waiting on God — but, deep inside, we are trying to decide if this is worth it. In a conundrum, we climb one, last mountain to look for the next pasture and tired on multiple levels we slump on a boulder to rest — exhausted, weary and oppressed. What are we going to do?
Then it happens. Without warning, we hear His voice again. “Lift your eyes up — now! Look to the north, south, east and west! All the land you see is yours. This is the land to which I told you to go. I will bless you here. Not only that, but I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. And all your descendants will inherit this land.”
Overcome with emotion, our eyes fill with tears, and we collapse on the boulder and openly weep. We now understand that He had been guiding us all the time — but why didn’t it seem like it?
This is the agony and the awe of transition. We know we are called to do something, but we are totally incapable of getting ourselves there. Sometimes it seems even the beasts of the field know more than we do. Yet, we eventually arrive at our destinies. Looking back, we see God’s hand was quite active, but we recognized little of it while on the journey.
THE THREE-PART SECRET OF TRANSITION
Herein lies the secret to transition that Abraham discovered. This is why God changed Abram’s name. All three parts of this secret synergize with one another and must be consummated before we will achieve God’s purpose for our lives. Without the three parts in place, our understanding will not be complete and our destinies will not be reached.
Part One
The first part of the secret is simply this: Where God guides He provides. In Abraham’s case, God grew the grass that the livestock ate. God knew that the livestock would follow the food source and that Abraham would follow his livestock to the Promised Land.
Part Two
The second part of the secret is this: What God births He protects. This allows us to know that beyond a shadow of doubt, God has directed us to do what we are doing. We will need this confidence and this faith on multiple occasions before we reach the end of the journey. If the Lord told us to go, we will get there.
Part Three
Finally, the last part is realizing that if we expect God to guide only through the overt and the obvious, we will be blind to most of His guidance. God wanted Abraham to know that all of creation will be used by God to help him on his journey. As the apostle Paul wrote, “We do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen” (2 Corinthians 4:18). In other words, God causes the grass to grow even when we do not hear Him speaking; He leads even when we don’t realize we’re being led. (Can I hear an amen?)
When grasped, and trusted, these three facets of the Secret of Transition will become huge anchors that will allow many other divine elements to come to light and help you reach the purpose for which God created you – here lies the zenith of delight.
There’s more on delight in the next post.
Blessings,
John Paul
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May we all have the faith to go when He says go and keep going even when He is seemingly silent.
Another excellent post, thanks!
Z
My thoughts last week were “Is this actually worth it?”. My thoughts this week are “Why am I doing this? and I don’t want to be here”. Today I woke up with the same feeling I had in primary school, when I didn’t want to go to school, but knew I had to.
Perhaps the promised land isn’t far off then?
What exactly IS the promised land?
WOW!JP, one of your best in my humble opinion! I can feel the brittle thorns in my thinking breaking as a ball of light rises within me at light speed, breaking through old thinking and opening a new way, a clearer way.
For many years, at different times, I’ve looked to others to follow who have charted the path I’m supposed to walk. I know I’m called to the business world but have ministry gifts (a wholly different paradigm in the church world itself - okay in me - ministry in the marketplace in power). I’ve felt like the truth was that was irresponsibility on my part and sort of like (without hearing this directly) like God was saying, you walk it out. Stop looking at others. You lead the way, you chart the path, you follow me, stop being afraid of making mistakes and step out. The reality, I think, is that it will be different for me then even others with the same call, because God’s Word applies to my life differently than others. I’m not saying that the clear teaching does not apply, just that because I’m different, it impacts me different, even though it’s truth. Different facets of who God is will shine differently through others than through me, which is really cool!
Thanks JP, this has helped make some sense of what’s been going on. It also flies in the face of much of the self-improvement literature I’ve read, which, though good at points, basically says make it happen and if it doesn’t happen, it’s your fault. Instead, God says, know that the Lord, He is God. It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves. Psalm 100.
Bless you JP in your transition and for sharing with us! Looking forward to hearing the details as you move forward.
Dennis
“do you hear what I hear, the sound the sound, ringing through the night”
oh man. Oh man, this is soo good, and I totally can relate to it all. All truth.
You said
“Once in a while we know what the end goal might be, but we don’t know where it is or how to get there. Just imagine that God told you to pack your bags, gather your belongings and go — just go. ”
This happened on more than one occasion to me. I left Bible college, stopped going to school for film, and God said to me to lay it all down. lay it all. what for? lay it all down.
then, seven years later, God tells me to go back into the school system, not for film but for textiles. I was thinking.. ohh great… I mean friends family and spiritual communities of people thought I had gone bonkers, here I was ‘going to and fro’ with no ‘real’ direction.. words and scriptures quoted to me by others about not finishing what I was set out to do, and etc etc.
Then When God tells me to go back to school, he sends me to a city I am uncomfortable, when I have the least finances (and the ones I had were beyond out of whack) and to a school I know little about.
People laughed and made wagers on how soon it would be before I up and moved on. Then, I get to the school, and I find out its the best school in the world for the studies I am going to study. In fact, its world reknown status was something I hadn’t even heard. whoa.
Then, God works it out that other things happen. I had no place to live, no money, nothing but piles of bills, and God sends me to a man who lets me stay in an unusued “church office’ building. I have a small room, the size of a closet to live in, but the prophetic symbolism..i was abiding in a church office. nuts.
no shower, so i have to go up stairs and use the one that the guy upstairs has, no hot water, so i heat water in the microwave. And yet, I am a happy camper. I mean I am happy happy happy, and my germ freakiness is sort of silenced at the contentment of being where God wants me, and the rub…it was free. Free housing. God provided, and bills were paid for, money was in my account. How. I don’t know. all i knew was i gave up my job and said, here I am, i will go where you want me to go.
There is so many details of Gods provision and power, but I will end with this, I have learned over the years that what you stated in this blog is absolutely true. I like to tell people this:
“Gods will, is Gods bill”
If he sends someone somewhere, knowing their circumstances, sure they have to step out in faith, but he meets everything.
And now, I am walking in things I never knew existed, naturally and spiritually naturally… and I am studying something that before the lord sent me to go, I had no idea such a field existed.
and Gods spirit is moving in the school in unusual manifestations. Surely God is bringing many into the promised land, and when we start walking onto the property, its like ‘hmmmm… this feels familiar…’
I am musing on the thought that:
• when we are in times of transition and testing, that humility leads us to make peace with “not knowing” what God is doing and His ways and to trust that God is in control and good, BUT
• when we are in times of prosperity and favor that we easily claim to “know” what God is doing and rejoice that we are working with Him to accomplish His plans for our good.
It is interesting how much “smarter, wiser, bolder” we all become when we live in days of sovereignly appointed “prosperity and favour”, and how humble, meek and trusting we become in days of sovereignly appointed transition and testing.
What a great concept! God using our natural surroundings to lead us to better pasture.
Thanks John Paul,
The silence you touched on is interesting of the Lord, it seems He enjoys speaking in dreams, riddles, mysteries at times, & when He chooses to lead us like this, we are left figuring out & discovering the hidden meaning of His mind just like interpreting kings’ dreams.
Then sometimes He speaks only briefly & all that takes to survive is pure obedience. Could He be testing our hearts? Or does He think we disqualify ourselves from hearing His words? Just like He did to the Jews, hearing they heard & they didn’t hear.
Then there are times He wants us to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. And He guides us like a Good Shepherd.
Interesting God! He chooses to speak as He pleases.
HELLO John Paul I will give you a AMEN. Just a side light. Is it true that at that time it was the custom that your father had to give you permission to leave the area you lived in If this is so it makes the story much more interesting. HOW AWSUM GOD IS!!!! HUGS
John Paul,
You described my last few years when you wrote, “In the midst of the journey, it is easy to feel lost and perhaps alone. Once in a while we know what the end goal might be, but we don’t know where it is or how to get there.”
I thought I knew what my end goal was and how long it would take me to get there, but I was wrong. And to make matters worse, God has been so silent. I beg Him for either a correction or conformation (begging does not work, I found out), I just need to hear Him say something, anything at all. It’s just horrid.
The weird thing is that, when I am faced with a decision I usually receive direction from Holy Spirit. Listening to your teachings on your radio station has encouraged me tremendously.
I know the Lord is going after areas of my heart. It seems that this is a growing up season, and as uncomfortable is this feels, at the same time it feels good.
Blessings
This is so beautifully written, and so true. I’ve learned to be comfortable with change, and most of the time I’m okay with not knowing. While the first big journey can truly be exhausting…the next time Father leads us out like that, we can go with the confidence of having walked with Him in silence before…and this time it feels more like an adventure.
Thank You! Please keep it coming JP!
Absolutely amazing…
Blessings…
Kathryn said ‘last week…, this week, today…’. Amen Sister… all that right here too in this paralel universe. Funny.. ‘just this morning’ for me. Where’d that saying come from ‘Timing is everything’? I blasted off a whine-fest email to my sister about ’stumbling around… am I missing my dream interpretaions… I would rather not have seen my ‘promised land’ then been forced to come back for a time… I feel like one of my body parts was left in the place He is sending me, I just don’t know when or how I’ll get back there to reattach it’ - and then I punch up this clip. Actually two days after it was posted. I really wanna feel like I’ve collapsed on that boulder and any second He’s going to tell me to look up.
Boy howdy JPJ… some of your stuff is woven into the fiber of my being. You put words to the matter in my skin. It clicks. Mannnn I hope this is the rock. The grass has been deep and consistant, I know I’ve been dancing with Him… my unseen partner. But Lord God Almighty, You’ve smashed the wine outta me I truly think.
Are we there yet?
Be Blessed.
L
What is the main point of transition anyway? I propose that it is growing in trust of the Father and leaning not unto our own understanding! Are we not told to not love our life even unto death? Is this not the walk of faith we are called to do? And does not faith grow when challenged? Learning to believe Him by faith alone, with nothing else to fall back on, this indeed is hard for man when he is mixed-carnal and spirit. We all want to know!
Ok guys…
So, I did it…yup, I told the “Big Guy” he WINS…I’m ready. I’m at the end of my will, surrendered it all. I’ve been broken into a million pieces (ouch) Gone from having 5 dreams a night to not even remembering a blib of one. Ive been in the “dark night of the spirt” seemingly for-EVER! which has really brought me to the end of myself.
It’s his silence that has killed me the most. Yet, his silence, has also been the most “transforming” factor in this dark time.
Im not near the “delight” stage, but as I’ve begun to crawl back to his throne, tired, empty, lost, hurt, betrayed by others, dissapointed, and left…I still can say this…
He is the LOVE of my life, and I “remember” enough about his nature to know, that he will not leave me this way. He will lead, and now Im ready to follow….
He will guide, he will provide, and he will protect. He is trust worthy, he is good, and “death” is always part of his plan…
Thanks John Paul for your wisdom, guidance, and help… You are a good friend. That is what “I feel” the Lord would have you to know, that You, John Paul, ARE a good, loyal, and honest friend. A true friend of God…and to us, and WE ALL thank you. You are loved
Tiffany
Dear John Paul:
Thanks for these blog entries on transition. I have been in a slow transition for about 3 years that experienced a “quickening” in April of this year. Suddenly, I found myself relocated to New England after many years of ministry in Ohio. Your blogging has really helped me get through the “shock and awe” of what God has been doing for the last three months. Blessings.
Everywhere I turn there is transition going on in my life.. I know, everyone is in transition, but during it all, at work (new computer program), at church (new pastor), home (always new stuff,not always good), extended family (again, not too new but aging parents while one has teens is always a transition)I have peace. It seems to take me forever to accomplish one little piece of the puzzle, then only to face another piece, never knowing what will be the outcome or where i am supposed to “be”. the call to “go forth” was a few years ago, and not at all knowing what that means or looks like. You have encouraged me that I do not have to know..just keep going forth..maybe He meant to not stop.
Thanks for the insight and encouragement!
Ok just a comment, seriously you guys have missed a point. Let me explain, years ago when i didn’t know the scriptures transitions were like a terrible storm, now when i know the scriptures i can sleep in the midst of a storm. Hey nothing changed! But i went from glory to glory. That’s why our faith overcomes the world. Jesus came to give life abundantly. Well a lot of is in your outlook of life.
Immaturity is a sign when you whine, you toss to & fro, you complain, you react in life. Maturity is when you love & enjoy life in the midst of all its ugliness & hardships.
And it grieves the Father that you are not sitting on His throne with Him. Well of course there are some very bad things, these i have not perfected. Just a comment about you guys.
Dear John Paul,
Thank you for your encouragement concerning transition. I have been in a time of transition and re-positioning for some time now. I am deeply blessed by what you have shared along with the comments in response. Thank You!
Dear John Paul;
Thank you for this clear post on transition to joy.
I have found the three steps to be very true in my life. Obedience in what He has called me to, has led me to joy and peace like I have never known. He is our provision (being tithers and givers, we are sure of this)-and we wait on His hand of provision to open over our lives for the narrow way to which He currently has us following Him.
Soon we expect to come through the gate into a new deeper field of joy…in my spirit I can see the gate and the stone wall that houses this field of delight. Inside the field is God and there He is holding the next piece of our hearts that He is giving us. A piece that will flood us with joy. The field is big- really spacious and the glorious thing that it is filled with His love and presence. Once we arrive He will give us a time of refreshing…as this road to this Field of Obedience, has been long-but the transition was one He was calling us to. The adjustment in transition has sometimes left us with worn knees, oh, but the depth of joy from this position is so worth the times spent low on the path.
thank you again John Paul-!
Kimmie
mama to 6
one homemade and 5 adopted