Going (Mirror book study post 4)

We bring this series to a close with our final lesson from Reina- the lesson of going.
Reina spends much of her story journeying, but it takes quite some time before she reaches the point of journeying towards something rather than trying to get away. That shift doesn't happen until she's received her guidance from Adonia, until she's felt the full weight of her calling.
But once she reaches that point, then it is finally time for her to summon her courage and follow the leading she had begged for.

In John 10:27, Jesus says, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (ESV). Reina and I had both heard the voice of our King. You don't write a whole story about someone's journey to seek and follow guidance to not have her go when the time comes. Similarly, you don't spend months learning how to better listen and wait on the Lord to not listen when He tells you to do something.
So Reina summons her courage, and her allies, and she goes. She embarks on the mission that her entire journey has been leading to. And while I won't tell you how it ends here (to avoid any spoilers), Reina does go with the power of her Creator and King going before and beside her. I'll leave you to figure out how that goes for her.
My "going" looked a little different from Reina's. In fact, while I was writing Mirror, my "going" was really staying. I had spent so much time pleading for clear guidance- would I pursue a dream with God's blessing, or was I meant to stay in the position that felt like an active battle every day? And then, I finally got my answer. Crystal clear. I was meant to stay. And I didn't want to. Did know if I had the strength to. Didn't know why my dream had been placed within my grasp just to be taken away.
But what was I going to do- ignore God? Not likely.
In Hebrews, there's a powerful passage that is often called the "hall of faith." Referring to people who had shown their faith through following God's leading, the writer claims that they "through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight" (Hebrews 11:33-34, ESV). I didn't know why God gave me the answer He did. But I did know that He could do incredible things with my obedience.
Now, a little over a year from that moment of decision, I'm writing from an interesting position. I've been able to see all the things God has done by keeping me where I was. There has been so much growth, so many opportunities, lives touched, relationships strengthened, joy found amidst difficulty- all because of where God led me. And as it turns out, His answer wasn't really no... it was not yet!
As I write this post, I'm now in the position where my "going" really is going. God has blessed me with open doors and His guidance to pursue what has been a dream for years. And it is the lessons I learned while staying that are strengthening me now as I prepare to leave. It is, I will admit, an uncertain path, regardless of my excitement for the future. I'll be leaving my very stable, fairly predictable job at the end of June to pursue new avenues of teaching reading and writing through my own business. There are a whole lot of uncertain parts to that. And a whole lot of things I don't know how to do.
But what I do know is my God. He is the same. He is sovereign. He does not give up on me. And just as He was with me in the waiting, trusting, and grieving, He will be with me in the going.
If you don't have that same confidence, if you're journeying without Jesus- I am urging you to find Him. Without Him, my story would have ended on chapter one- no hope, no triumph, no strength. He is my firm foundation and guiding light. He offers the same to you. So whatever your journey, whatever phase you find yourself in, I hope that you'll do it with Him.
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"Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21, ESV)