By Andrea Goebel
God’s Way
“My ear hurts.” My son whimpered as he sat up in bed, leaned against me, and began to cry. It was almost midnight, and the second night in a row when my toddler had complained of ear pain. I had an uncomfortable feeling that he might have an infection in one or both ears.
The next morning, the entire trajectory of our day changed. I spent a lot of time on the phone, telling the school why my son wouldn’t be in attendance that day, messaging the doctor’s office to try to schedule an appointment for him, and letting my office know I would not be able to work that morning.
When I called my mother-in-law to tell her she would no longer need to pick up my son from school, we laughed as we discussed how we can make all the plans we want, but God is in control, not us.
I used to feel so frustrated when I had to change my plans because of something that was out of my control. I worried I might miss out on a fun activity or I wouldn’t get to do all that I wanted to because my schedule had changed.
How did the disciples feel when Jesus first called to them and their lives suddenly changed? The Gospels differ slightly in their accounts of how Peter, Andrew, James and John joined Jesus, but they convey the same message: these men stopped right in the middle of what they were doing, “left everything and followed him” (Luke 5:11).
How did these men have the courage and faith to leave behind the lives they knew and follow Jesus?
We don’t know what they thought or how they felt. Were they nervous or excited? Wistful or joyful? Fearful or hopeful? Perhaps they felt an array of all these emotions.
What we do know is that when Jesus said, “‘Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men,’” (Matthew 4:19), they got up and went with Him.
Can you imagine responding that quickly to Jesus’ call to follow Him completely and wholeheartedly?
The disciples did not know where a life with Jesus would lead them, but perhaps they intuitively knew that whatever Jesus was calling them to was far greater than a life lived without him.
Likewise, we don’t always know where God is guiding us, but “we know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
Often, the path He calls us to follow is not necessarily one we would choose for ourselves. Yet, we can trust that He will lead us on a journey that produces good fruit in our lives.
The need to change my schedule because of a sick child was a minor moment compared to the major calls I have felt God place on my life, but it contained the same elements: I had to halt my plans, listen to what God was telling me to do, and trust that He would give me the strength I needed to do what He was calling me to.
That day, God was telling me to care for my son’s health first and foremost and handle the other details of my day accordingly. My plans for the day had to change, but that was okay. I was able to take my son to the doctor, who diagnosed him with a double ear infection, and I gave him the care he needed. It was a good reminder that God’s plans are my plans, and when I submit to and accept them, things always go better than when I resist them.