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“Faith is taking the first step before God reveals the second step.”

A thought by Mark Batterson from his book, Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God (p. 98). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

Maybe this will help you in something you are going through.

Mark says, “Our first attempt at church planting was a failure, and I’ve shared some of those hard lessons in other books, but let me fill in a few of the blanks. In the wake of that failure, I was reading a ministry magazine when I came across an advertisement for a parachurch ministry in Washington, DC. I have no idea why I stopped flipping pages, but that ad arrested my attention. The door to DC opened just a crack. I made a phone call, which led to a visit, which led to a 595-mile leap of faith from Chicago to DC, which led to the past twenty years of ministry in the nation’s capital.

“That sounds neat and clean, but it was an agonizing decision. Lora and I both grew up in the Chicago area, so it was all we had ever known. Plus, Michael Jordan was still playing for the Chicago Bulls! Why would we want to move? We had no desire to leave Chicago, but nothing closes a door faster than failure. Actually, it slams the door shut. And sometimes our fingers are still in the doorjamb.

“Looking back, I think that failed attempt was the only way God was going to get us where He wanted us to be. It was nothing short of His grace. And I’m as grateful for that closed door as I am for any of the doors He has opened in my life. It was the closed door that led to an open door, and that’s how it generally works.

“Now here’s the rest of the story. Our move to DC was a difficult decision, so I wanted God to give us a clear sign. You know, something simple like a skywriting plane sketching the word Washington on the eastern horizon! Part of the reason I wanted a sign was because we didn’t have a place to live or a guaranteed salary. But we didn’t get a sign until after we made the decision to move. Then, and only then, did God give us a sign.

“The day we made the decision, I went to our mailbox on the campus of Trinity International University and discovered a postcard addressed to me. The front of the card said, ‘Your future is in Washington.’ Not even kidding! Why George Washington University sent me that postcard is still a mystery, but getting it right after making such a huge decision qualifies as a sign following. God didn’t just open a door; He rolled out a red carpet.

“It’s human nature to second-guess difficult decisions, and that’s why God is gracious enough to give us confirmations. God knew that I’d experience some self-doubt during the early days of our church plant in Washington, so He sent a postcard. That postcard is a spiritual memento that reminds me of God’s faithfulness, even in failure.”


Have you ever wondered why sometimes bad things happen to you?
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