Being Led

Being led by the Spirit for me is a sensitive topic, which means to die daily to myself, a feat I am working at achieving daily by faith. However, like Paul, when I fall, I depend on the grace and mercies of Christ, and I stand. I am therefore publishing this post, not because I am perfect at it, but to shed a little light, based on my experiences recently. This post contains my humble thoughts, and I ask for more insight from you, my readers.

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” – Romans‬ ‭8:14‬ ‬‬

The Holy Spirit asked that I take up writing as my career. Was it my hobby, no, but He was specific about it. I have always wanted to climb the career ladder, but climb it and do what? Being a C-Suite executive had lost its appeal after I witnessed what internal politics could do, everywhere. Writing though, this was never an option for me.

Late last year, the company I work for informed us they were getting ready to close, they were bankrupt. This news was shocking; people started taking immediate action, resigning, and looking out for their greener pastures. God told me to stay and be still.

Now, I realize why I went through a period in the company after that communication went out. The company kept paying staff who had stopped doing any work because there was no work to be done at that point, full salaries for almost nine months. Where is that done? God allowed it for me; He was taking me through a process. It was a daily process of learning to hear, submitting my fears to him, and he consistently provided me with the truth that always came at the point of my need.

In those nine months, I changed. I may not have fully understood, but God had taken me through small storms that did not overwhelm me, and I learned through those storms. So, at the end of nine months, I changed my status on LinkedIn to ‘Aspiring Writer’. To me, that was career suicide, who does that? But I did because my life just got real.

In August 2019, the company finally closed its doors to everyone, even the staff and we all went home. Some people had found other jobs, but God said He would take care of me. At this point, the reality of my situation hit home. I asked the following questions:

• How was I going to explain to my husband, how would I support him financially?
• How would I tell people I was learning to be a writer, at my age?
• How long would it take before the writing career sustained me financially?

I realize now that I asked myself these questions and not God because I came face to face with them again in my discussions with a great woman. Meanwhile, while in the company, I had built a self-learning habit, and I had excellent resources to write. So, I started with a daily schedule at home and took it a day at a time. How did my husband take it, you ask? God shocked me, as of today, my husband is 100% in and fully supportive of my career change.

Earlier this week, I went to see a woman I believe God directed me to, (not by signs and wonders) I just felt I could get advise. She told me the following truths after I told her my story.

• I need to deal with the shame, of losing my job, being jobless, and being a Christian writer. I never looked at it as shame, but if I couldn’t post one of my blog publications on LinkedIn, what was it?
• I need to deal with my present reality as a writer in God and include Him in every aspect of my life.
• I have to allow the Spirit structure and lead the writing process.

That meeting further confirmed to me that my calling is to write. God was leading me in the way.

“For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” – Romans‬ ‭8:13‬ 

I learned that day that it is easy to live in the flesh (your wisdom and understanding) in matters that affect’s one’s life. Yes, God had called me, but I had taken the baton and continued without Him. Romans 8:13 says that we put to death the deeds of the flesh by the Spirit. So on my way home from my insightful meeting, I asked for forgiveness. I asked Him to take over and lead the way while I follow. My merciful God showed me how, He used the Google Maps application, which I needed for directions home.

Once I asked Maps to be directed back home, the following happened:

• Direction on the paths to take to avoid traffic and to get home on time. I acknowledge I knew other roads, but Maps got me back faster than I would have.
• I seriously doubted the paths as directed, because I didn’t know the roads, but Google did. So all I did was follow directions and landmarks, and I was home.
• I got step-by-step directions until I was at my final destination. All I did was obey, through my doubts and misgivings

God will get us home; the Holy Spirit is our assurance of that. Now is the time to fully believe and submit totally to His guidance and direction.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” – II Corinthians‬ ‭3:17-18‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Till next time, be transformed!!!