“Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore!” Psalm 105:4
Sometimes we want to leave somewhere, or something, or even someone so badly we can practically taste the leaving in our mouths. We can’t imagine greater relief, greater freedom, greater hope, greater excitement, a greater fresh start, greater possibilities, greater potential, greater success, greater anything at all, than running out the door, saying goodbye, escaping when nobody’s looking, leaving a farewell note, turning in our resignation, finding closure, breaking the contract, putting the house on the market, ending something that’s been really difficult, and challenging, giving up on something or someone that or whom we feel has just been too hard, shutting the door on someone’s face, not answering the phone or door when we hear the ringing or doorbell, getting our passport and fleeing the country, telling someone there ain’t no way we’re going to put up with their shenanigans for another minute, ending our counseling sessions with a pastor who teaches and counsels with a really strong biblical foundation because we don’t feel we’re changing quickly enough, whatever it is, or whomever it is, we feel we can’t wait another minute to pack our suitcase and hurry out the door.
But sometimes it is plain and clear, or it would be plain and clear if we would only committedly and diligently seek the Lord, that the Lord’s directive to us is STAY! How easy it would be to follow our feelings, but when we sincerely believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior for the forgiveness of our sins and the promise of an everlasting relationship with God, we commit to follow Jesus by FAITH – NOT by our FEELINGS are we to follow our flesh. This world, and our flesh, and the devil may be cheering us on to run out the door, to leave, quit, end, terminate, break covenant or contract with something or someone, but Christ’s followers, Christ’s sheep, God’s children by faith in Jesus as Lord, are NOT to make our decisions based on what FEELS good and what FEELS right but based on what IS RIGHT by God, by His Word, by His will, by His directions to us by His Spirit in accordance with His Word to our hearts.
We may not want to stay in a situation, or in a location, or at a place, or in a relationship, or friendship, or whatever or wherever or with whomever it may be, but IF IT IS GOD’S WILL, if we have sought Him, and heard Him, and made sure what we hear lines up with His Word because He will NEVER speak contrary to His Word, then we are to lovingly, humbly, reverently obey the Lord. We may not understand why God says STAY!, it might hurt like heck to stay in a challenging situation or relationship or place, etc., but if we sincerely seek the Lord, He will tell us His will and He will give us the strength to STAY! for as long as He desires in whatever He desires with whomever He desires for His glory.
If you are contemplating leaving, and not staying, seek the Lord, dig into His Word, seek godly counsel from people who are strongly rooted in Christ and God’s Word as the Lord may lead you, and be open and willing to whatever the Lord by His Spirit through His Word speaks to your heart. If He says STAY!, trust Him, obey Him, and STAY! How quickly, and even impulsively, we humans can be prone to make a decision to leave. Sometimes that’s exactly what the Lord wants us to do. But when it is not, and when it is His will that we remain, that we STAY!, may we deny ourselves, may we deny our own desires, may we sacrifice what we want, may we die to self and its selfish desires, and may we follow the Lord instead. To wherever He may lead, whenever He may lead, even when His leading is to STAY!