Where is God Telling You to Go?

Life is filled with many uncertainties, as we never know which direction our life will turn or where God will lead us next. As we live life, we begin to form goals and dreams that we want to accomplish. We work hard to accomplish these goals and dreams that we have, and will take the necessary steps to achieve them. At times the goals, dreams, and even our vision for our life does not align with what God has in store for us. There will be a time that God will not only call for us to accept what He has planned in our lives, but also to abandoned our own plans to fully obey His will and His ways. It is in our best interest to obey what God has planned for our life as God’s ways is the best way, His plans will truly fill the desires of our hearts. Jeremiah 29:11 states; “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.” Although we know that God’s plans is best for our life, we still struggle with obeying God’s plan for our lives, and going to where He wants us to go. In our life God will call us out of our comfort zone into a place of unfamiliarity. He will call us away from where we thought we were going, and lead us in a different direction. He may call us to go live and visit different states, cities, and countries that we never dreamed about going to. But we must remember that it is all for the good of the glory of the Lord, so that His name is edified, and that more people come to know who He truly is.

When God calls you to move from your current place and to go somewhere new, it is in our best interest to obey God; even when we are uncertain of where we need to go. God will show us the way, if we choose to obey Him and His plan for our life. In fact, obeying God has its own seat of benefits. In Exodus 19:5-6 God declares, “Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation. This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.” Jeremiah 7:23-24 states, “This is what I told them: ‘Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!’ But my people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward.”

These verses reminds me that we are God’s special people, His chosen people to do His work all over the world; and to move when He tells us to. We will gain so much, and will be able to help some many people by obeying God. In fact, when God is calling for us to move and go live somewhere else or do ministry in another country, the body of Christ is counting on us to be obedient. By disobeying God when He is telling us to move and live somewhere we are letting many people down who we would have impacted in a positive way. People we could minister to and plant seeds in their life. People who do not know Christ may never come to know Christ because we were disobedient to God and out of position. That’s why it is of the upmost importance that we obey God when He is calling us to go somewhere else to do His work. So many people are counting on our obedience. And God will guide you, He will never leave you in confusion. “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future” (John 16:13).

When I think about following God to a place that I don’t want to go to, I instantly think of the Biblical figure named Jonah. Jonah was called by God to go Nineveh to preach to the people there. The people of Nineveh was wicked and Jonah refused to go preach God’s Word to them, and instead fled to Tarsus. Often times we are like Jonah and disobey God when he tells us to move, and go to another place to do His work. We fight the idea of going in our hearts, and refuse to go all together or have a complaining heart in our spirit. I too have been in a similar situation as Jonah. God was calling for my husband, Kameron, and I to move back to our home town of Wichita. Neither Kameron nor I ever planned on moving back to Wichita, and felt that we could stay in Topeka. We enjoyed servicing at our local church here in Topeka and was very involved in ministry at our church. We also liked being so close to fun activities in Kansas City. I had goals of getting a Master of social work job in Topeka, and also starting a ministry for young girls. Although Kameron and I had our plans for our lives, God was calling us out of our comfort zone of Topeka, to move back to Wichita, and do ministry work for Him there.

My first thoughts of moving back to Wichita was very conflicted, and like Jonah, I questioned God and wanted to run from what God was telling us to do. I was excited to be living in the same town as family and many of our friends, but at the same time, I had fear of wondering where I would do ministry at church. Would I be able to teach the children’s Sunday school? I struggled with thinking I wasn’t going to be able to start my ministry for young girls in Wichita, and after having to turn down a job as a licensed Master social worker in Topeka, I began to think that maybe God would not allow me to have any opportunities of a good job in Wichita. I knew moving to Wichita was a God idea, but I struggled with obeying God due to letting my own plans for my life get in the way. Isaiah 30: 1-3 states; “What sorrow awaits my rebellious children,” says the Lord. “You make plans that are contrary to mine. You make alliances not directed by my Spirit, thus, piling up your sins. For without consulting me, you have gone down to Egypt for help. You have put your trust in Pharaoh’s protection. You have tried to hide in his shade. But by trusting Pharaoh, you will be humiliated, and by depending on him, you will be disgraced.” This verse let me know that I had made these plans to work and start a ministry in Topeka, not God. I had counted on my own connections and resources, and did not make my allegiance with God. It was at this moment that I begin to come out of my comfort zone and trust God with where He was leading us. I willingly surrendered and begin to look at moving to Wichita with a joyful attitude, knowing God will provide our needs and bring opportunities to serve in ministry; and also for me to have a good job. When I begin to obey God’s calling for us to leave, God begin to provide. As He allowed us to buy our first home, and also blessed me with a better job than I had turned down in Topeka.

God is so faithful, and He will truly fill the desires of your heart once you follow His calling of moving where He wants you to go. So, I urge you to be open to where God is telling you to go. If He is calling you to move to a different city, state, or even country; go to where God is calling you, His plans and ways exceed what we can even imagine. Even when moving seems difficult God will guide you through the whole process as He will never leave your or abandoned you. Deuteronomy 31:8, “The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.  "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." And so, go where God is calling you with boldness and confidence. God would not give you a mission that you could not do with His loving help.  So as God commends, “be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”


With Love,

Courtney Neal