Right Where I Need To Be

Believe it or not I’ve had this country song stuck in my head for a few weeks now. It’s an old Gary Allan song that was released during my freshman year of college. Though this genre is by far not my favorite, after two years of junior college in southeastern Oklahoma, I’m quite familiar with many of its songs and artists. The premise of the song is that this dude realizes his priorities have been out of whack and it’s time for a change. There are places that he is supposed to go and expectations placed upon him by others as to where he should be, yet he finds that there is a better place, a place that’s right where he needs to be.

And it is this title that has been on repeat in my mind – right where I need to be. I’m not trying to insinuate that I’ve lived this to perfection or even come close. However, I can say that I’ve found some times here lately that I too could sing: “Yeah, I’m right where I need to be.” Let me give a few examples and then ask you a question.

I was late to a couple different meetings over the last few weeks, but not because of my usual laziness or poor planning. On both occasions I have in mind, I was tardy because another one-on–one time of discipleship had gone way longer than I anticipated. As I noticed that I should probably go, so as to not be late, I realized that I was in a place that I had prayed for. The gentleman I was meeting with was making himself vulnerable. Our conversation had gone deep and the implications of the gospel were being exposed.

So many of my meetings as a staff member are spent discussing how we might get into rich relationships like this; we pray for the Holy Spirit to lead us into such blessed opportunities. So why hurry and rush away in the midst of an obviously answered prayer? To be clear, repeatedly being late would be disobedient and poor stewardship. Yet in both of the situations I’m thinking of, I was right where I needed to be.

I can also think of a couple times recently where we have had to back out of a prior commitment. As much as I hated doing it, I knew it was right for our family. Sometimes we bite off more than we can chew, and sometimes life is just hard. The more we press into Christ, the more we are forced to trust Him for strength, guidance, and wisdom to discern what’s best. While such glorious pursuits are eternally significant and well worth our sweat and tears, it can be and should be, more days than not, extremely exhausting work. So in swallowing some pride and making ourselves open for criticism, judgment, and misperceptions, by bowing out of an engagement, we found ourselves right where we needed to be.

Being present in the moment, allowing the conversation to continue, listening to the Holy Spirit’s still small voice may mean that a meal is occasionally skipped. When prayer goes long or when the day needs to be shortened, it may cut into your work so that some things are not completed. Of course, it may mean staying up late to finish, thus losing some rest. You might be late; you may go hungry, become tired, and bump into moments of weariness. Be sure that it will cost all of us something. But if we are ministering to the world, the body, our family, or even our very own soul, is it not, right where we need to be?

To again clarify, I’m not suggesting that we throw our calendar out the window or that always being late equates to righteously serving “in the moment.” I’m simply encouraging you and I to not be so bound to our schedules that we miss the divine duty before us. Sometimes the Lord grants us sweet opportunities to love each other and participate in His work, and His timing is not designed to conform to ours.

The thing about being right where I need to be is that it is joined with a realization that so many times I’m not. Some things may need to no longer be part of my weekly routine. Without a doubt, more hours needs to be freed from my schedule to spend time with people. I need to constantly evaluate and align my days to be following the One that directs my steps… How about you? Are you right where you need to be? Are you missing moments of ministry? Is checking everything off your list a bigger priority than serving He who has graciously enlisted you into His eternal kingdom? Perhaps some things need to change, but that will be between you and the Lord. My prayer is that we might have ears to hear, spiritual eyes to see, and courage to obediently be right where we need to be.

Matt Fowler
Assoc. Pastor of Missions & Students
matt@nbchurch.info
@fattmowler