Bible Love Leading: “And don’t be wishing you were someplace else or with someone else. Where you are right now is God’s place for you. Live and obey and love and believe right there.” (1 Corinthians 7:17)

God’s Love Leading: I have spent a lot of my life wishing I was someplace else or with someone else. Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians cut right to the heart of me. I am an old soul. When I was young I always wanted to be older. When I was in school I wished I was at my job. When I was with my family I wished I was with my friends. When I was with friends I wished I was with my boyfriend. I truly was never satisfied. This has been a life long struggle for me. I would rather be think about being someplace else than in the moment God has me in. 

What an incredibly centering sentiment. “Where you are right now is God’s place for you.” God uses his people exactly where they are to be Jesus to the world. If I am not active as a Christ follower where I am, then His presence is hindered and people are not able to see the beautiful love of God manifested! This is an extraordinary challenge: to be present so that Jesus can shine into my world through me. God’s challenge is to live, obey, love and believe right in the moment. 

What is your biggest distraction in life right now? Meditate on this question. What is keeping you from living, obeying, loving and believing right where you are? Invite God to lead you to identify what that distraction is. Then trust God to give you the strength to stay present in your real life.

My Love Leading: Set a timer on your phone for five minutes. Spend that time praying for God to reveal what is distracting you. Set the timer for an additional two minutes. Now pray for God to remove the distraction or empower you to move beyond the distraction so you may be present in the moment. 

Dear Lord,

Help me not to be distracted. Please reveal to me what is distracting me and grant me the courage to stay on track. Help me to truly believe from the top of my head to the bottom of my toes that where I am right now is exactly the place you have me. And please show me how to live, obey, love and believe right there. 

Amen