Analysis Paralysis

            Steven Brice wrote recently of all the emotions he and his family are experiencing as they reach the culmination of decade’s worth of planning and training to launch a new ministry in Philadelphia.  During this time, the story of God’s calling of Abram to leave all that was familiar to him and go to a place that was unknown to him (Genesis 12) became more meaningful to Brice.  As he reflects on this part of Abram’s story and draws some parallels to his own move, he shares the following paragraph:

            “The point is that God calls Abram to leave everything to go to a place without any direction. In this hyper informative age, it would sound ludicrous for me to inform my family and friends that God told me to go to “adsfjsadhflds,” let alone go to Philadelphia. This reflection has birthed a question in my heart: has the information age drowned our ability to hear God call us to go to places and do things that would leave us clueless like Abram? Have we become so educated and business savvy that we need to be sure that every “i” is dotted and every “t” is crossed before we take our first step? Are we still hearing from God? Is God writing new stories of faith using us as participants in his mission, or have we been paralyzed with contentment and fascination by reading what God has done in the past through the lives of biblical characters?”*

            Can you relate to what Steven Brice says here?  I surely can.  I’m of the personality type that likes to have all the “i’s” dotted and “t’s” crossed before launching out on a project.  And while a certain amount of caution is probably good (see, I’m already justifying myself), when it comes to God’s call in my life, perhaps more faith and less analysis and information-gathering is best.  Maybe Abram had his questions too but, as far as we know, he didn’t voice them.  He just packed his bags.  What amazing faith!

God loves you!

Mike

*http://char.is/blog/2018/06/28/where-are-you-going-abram/