What You Leave Behind

But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” – Matthew 14:30, NIV

Megan worked as a youth director in her local church. She loved working with teenagers and watching as God transformed their lives. She loved the city where she lived and had strong ties to her local community.

But the offer came from a church a thousand miles away. They wanted Megan to be the director of the women’s ministry. The idea excited and scared Megan. But she prayed over it and felt like God was leading her to it.

After several weeks in the new position, a beloved mentor of Megan’s visited her. The older woman wanted to know how the job was going and if Megan was enjoying her work.

With a sigh, Megan confessed her discouragement. Some of the members of the church were older and didn’t want to listen to her ideas. She was still struggling to find an apartment she could rent. Her car needed hundreds of dollars in repairs.

“It feels like everything suddenly went wrong,” She explained. “I thought I did what God wanted me to do, so why is this hard?”

Megan’s mentor listened then reminded her of Peter. “The moment he got out of the boat, the winds and the waves didn’t calm. They intensified. Just because you’re facing opposition doesn’t mean that you’re not exactly where you’re meant to be.”

God, give me strength when the waves toss my anxious heart about. Help me to remember that You are here, that You see what’s going on. Fix my eyes on You and what You’re doing, not my circumstances. In Jesus’ name, Amen.