Are You Stopping Out of Habit?

A new city bus driver recently took a turn too sharply and took out a stop sign at a busy intersection near our home. As you might imagine, this created confusion for our community.

There were generally two responses:

Some people continued stopping even though the sign was gone, whether they were aware it had disappeared or were stopping purely out of habit.
Some people drove according to the current rules of the road, which meant they didn’t even pause at the intersection.

This scenario caused confusion and stress any time cars met at the intersection. Some cars would stop while others maintained their speed through the intersection. At times, I would catch the moment of realization when a driver realized the stop sign they were abiding by wasn’t there. These misunderstandings and assumptions caused more than one near miss.

One day, as I was observing the confusion, a nagging question floated through my mind: Are you clinging to a stop sign that no longer exists?

The question didn’t sit well with me, and I couldn’t shake it off. There in front of me was a visual example of what happens when we stop where the path is clear. Every car that paused where no sign required it risked being rear-ended and confused every other car in its path.

In 2018, my One Word for the year was “Ready”.I wrote in January, “When I picture being ready, I imagine standing to anticipate a step of action made obediently, without fear, for what God will do next through me and with me.”

This year has been filled with new situations wherein I’ve implemented my one word. I took on new work responsibilities, started writing a book, expanded other writing commitments, and said yes to public speaking engagements. I stretched myself in many new ways. I embraced my one word well, but as I’m about to enter a new year, that stop sign visual is helping me realize God is nudging me to continue my journey.

Am I putting a stop sign in the middle of a clear path? Am I supposed to be adding things to my schedule? What more can I say yes to without losing my mind? What more can I fit in while shepherding my current commitments well?

Every yes begins with a step of faith, but our lives are not comprised of taking one step forward and then stopping and waiting. If “Ready” is about moving obediently, what directs the next steps?

We must keep putting one foot in front of the next to complete a project, but it is also reasonable to pause to make sure we are still going in the right direction. When do we pause, and when do we keep moving forward?

Scripture includes stories where we see people place a stop sign on a clear path. Sarah determined her chance to have a child had passed even though God had promised she would have one (Gen. 17). The spies who were sent with Joshua and Caleb to scout the Promised Land put up a stop sign because the current inhabitants looked intimidating, even though God promised them victory (Deut. 1). Both situations caused confusion and hard times for everyone involved.

When we seek God’s guidance, he responds. Throughout Scripture, there are times when people seek direction from God and receive it. One instance is in Judges 18:5-6: “Then they said to him, ‘Please inquire of God to learn whether our journey will be successful.’ The priest answered them, ‘Go in peace. Your journey has the Lord’s approval.’”

When people in Scripture inquire of God, he directs them in their next steps. When they don’t, things often go badly. In 1 Chron. 15, the Israelites realize that their failure to inquire of God prior to moving the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem results in a death.

Joshua and David inquired of God before battles. Prophets and priests inquired of God on behalf of the Israelites. Rebekah inquired of God about her pregnancy (Gen. 25:22). We have the freedom to inquire of God, too. In fact, God encourages us to adopt a habit of inquiring of him.

James 1:4-5 says, “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

My journey with God has had stops and starts through the years. I’ve placed stop signs along my own path because the next steps seemed confusing, hard, or scary. What I should have done was inquire and move forward in faith.

Observing the cars at the signless intersection helped me understand that embracing a position of “Ready” is the first step in my journey to fully embrace God’s calling for my life, but obedience does not end when I say yes. It is only the first of many yeses, and because I have the freedom to inquire of God, I can take each step with him by my side.

I’m heading into 2019 intending to inquire of God rather than acting as though there’s a stop sign in my path. Will you join me?

Beth Walker is a football coach’s wife and mom of two energetic boys. She strives to encourage those around her to pursue their best lives in Jesus whether she is near the game field, in church, or at the local coffee shop. As a writer, Beth has been striving to find her voice through seeing Jesus in the ordinary and extraordinary of daily life. She blogs at Lessons from the Sidelines.