SURRENDER TO GOD’S PLANS

BY SARAH FERGUSON

Since I was a teenager – and I’m in my 40’s now – at the end of each year, I ask God for a “word” to guide me in the year ahead Most years, God gives me a new word and sometimes He continues with the one from the year before Some of the words I’ve received in recent years are “rest” and “breakthrough.”

As 2023 approached, I followed this same activity, praying and asking God for a word for the new year

Every time I prayed, I heard the word “shaking ” I was really bothered by this word, and for two weeks I wrestled with God and His idea of “shaking” things in my life What did this mean? Why would He want to shake things? Since 2020, we’d already been through significant transition: a new school for our children, a new church for our family, a move to a new community, and more I wasn’t sure I could take another year of transition and movement

But, as I wrestled with God over this, He revealed to me Heb 12:25-27 (NLT) “Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking ‘Once again I will shake not only the earth but the heavens also ’ This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed, so that only unshakable things will remain ”

I knew that God wanted to do something significant –and permanent – in my life, and it required my surrender While I wasn’t excited about the shaking, I was excited about what might come from it

Enter 2023 My husband and I made plans for the year, both personally and professionally We established some financial goals and looked with anticipation at the year ahead But by the end of January, everything started “shaking” in a good way The doors started opening for significant growth in our business –something we had not anticipated A month later, God led me to leave my consulting career and focus full time on my family and help my husband build our business This was a huge financial step for us, but one we really believed God was directing That same month, we ran into some challenges at our children’s school (This is the school we had just moved to in 2020, and now we were being led away )

Each day our life felt like we were on a roller coaster: We were moving faster than anticipated and holding on for dear life Just a few months into 2023, we were facing a career change for me, a new school for our children, significant growth in our business, a shaking in our finances, and affirmation along the way that we were on the right path My prayer each morning became: “Order my steps today according to Your word, God ” (Ps 119:133)

As the year progressed, I started seeing the reason for the shaking God was answering a much deeper desire of my heart to fulfill His purpose on earth, a life that requires an increased discipline and faith that my life did not have prior

As I write this post, my life continues to “shake ” Some things have settled into a permanence, but other things remain unsettled As I continue to surrender to God’s plan I am learning to:

Hold my plans loosely and lean heavily on the promises of God’s eternal purpose

Value the things eternal in life, versus seeking after the material possessions that make life more difficult and overwhelming

My dreams and desires aren’t always God’s best, and that’s okay He sometimes sows those seeds of vision for a future reality, but the shaking in my life right now is what is required for His end result God’s way is straight and narrow and full of discipline and surrender, but the fruit of this choice is much sweeter, life giving, and soul renewing than I could have ever imagined

If God is speaking something to your heart, possibly a word for this year, and you ’ re struggling to surrender I strongly encourage you to follow His leading and allow God to transform your life You’ll be glad you did