day 211: Right Moves?

I get a chance to meet lots of people and hear their work and career stories. One aspect of the stories that I always find interesting and intriguing are the tales and decisions on why someone would relocate for one job over another. There is a new best-seller out right now written just on this subject, titled "Reloville". I myself have moved nine times for work relocations. I have a friend who has moved 21 times in his career (nearly half of those with a wife and kids). Each time we move, we start all over with a new set of friends, new community and services, new church, new house, new schools, just about everything new. And each time, there is some moment along the way when there is a time of doubt about whether or not it was the right move. Like any big decision, there comes that time when you wonder, "did I make the right move?" Big changes like relocations require much thought, consideration, discussion and prayer. There are so many moving pieces that it takes the time of weeks and months to settle and to know for sure that the right decision was reached. In the case of my last move it was not until around the two year mark that my wife and I became settled and happy with the move. Even though the job was good, the social life and development of friends and activities were slow to develop. All decisions are made with the best available information and knowledge and when all of that had been gained, we take a leap. If we are believers and we have asked God to help direct and bless our decision, then the leap is a leap of faith and we trust that God will make it all work out for us. I reflect on the faith of the Biblical forefathers and thank God that we are not required to be literally like some of them in their moments of decision. We take before God our decisions like relocation. Abraham had to take before God the decision to follow what he heard from God and sacrifice his son Isaac. It is in James that we are reminded that Abraham was seen as right with God because of his unwavering faith. James 2:21-22 say: "Don't you remember that our ancestor Abraham was declared right with God because of what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, he was trusting God so much that he was willing to do whatever God told him to do. His faith was made complete by what he did - by his actions." God has all the right moves for us. Sometimes it will be big moves, like a work relocation. Other times it will be smaller decisions and actions that we are to take. Regardless, He gives us the right moves if we turn them over to Him. Today, you may be facing both big and small moves. You want them to be the right ones and the only guarantee that you can have is if you have invited God to be a part of the decision-making and ultimately to be the decision-giver. Let your faith be tested today and let God be the one who moves you in the right direction.

Reference: James 2:21-22 (New Living Testament)