All the Feels // Lost
I wasn't sure where I should go or what I should do next. On the heels of my moral failure, I was no longer in ministry and wasn't quite sure what else I could do. It was all I had known, but more so, it’s what I was incredibly passionate about doing.
I was lost.
Have you ever felt this way? Wondered where to go or what to do next. Asked God to give you direction because you were unsure of your purpose or passion. Feeling lost can resemble hopelessness or playing a waiting game and you may feel lethargic, unfulfilled, or lonely in the middle of it.
I have two thoughts for you if you find yourself in this place. Two nuggets that have been helpful to me when I felt lost:
1. Know that you have a purpose and that God has a plan for you.
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”
Regardless of how you might feel (although I don't discount the emotion because I know the feeling is very real), the TRUTH is that God has a plan for your life. He has a path for you to walk confidently and with purpose.
If you are feeling lonely, remind yourself that God sees you and knows how you fit into His big, beautiful plan.
2. If you don't know what to do now, start with the basics.
“He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’”
I really like--and I mean REALLY LIKE-- to plan and know what's coming next. So feeling lost for me is incredibly challenging.
Before Jesus ascends to Heaven, in his final words, he shares the above message that has transformed my waiting season. That has given me purpose when I have felt lost.
Instead of trying to have all the answers, you are called to a basic purpose:
Operate out of the Holy Spirit and make disciples.
That's it. Lean into God and do His work. Tell people about Jesus.
If you are feeling lost and wondering what to do right now, start telling people about Jesus. Make disciples. Be the hands and feet of God on this earth.
If you can do these things, I truly believe God will begin to reveal to you how to live out that calling in very specific ways. Your purpose will come into focus as you make God's basic mandate your mission.
Feeling lost doesn't have to be permanent. It's a very real thing to go through and process but don't get so locked into the emotion that you fail to see how God wants to use you. Trust that He has a plan for your life and make His name as famous as you can!