Ezekiel is not really one of my favorite books of the Bible. (Oops. Is it sacrilegious to say that?) But my Scripture reading for the year has taken me to the book of Ezekiel and I’m slowly trying to digest it. Much of it is over my head, if I’m being honest with you, but one truth jumped out at me during my reading and I haven’t been able to shake it:
We should follow the Holy Spirit wherever He leads.
Let me back up and take you to the first chapter of Ezekiel. The author begins describing four creatures. They look human except that they have four faces and four wings and their legs look like calf legs and they glow like bronze and they have four human hands. Oh, and one of their faces is a human face, one is a lion face, one is an ox face and one is an eagle face.
So, in fact, they do not really look anything like a human.
(See? This is why I have trouble digesting Ezekiel.)
Anyway, I was reading this first chapter and trying to understand exactly what Ezekiel was describing, when verse 12 popped out at me. Listen to this:
“Each one went straight ahead. Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as they went.”
Do you understand what Ezekiel is saying here? I’m not sure I fully understand it myself, but I did have a big takeaway moment while reading this passage.
So often, I want to follow Jesus. I want to go where the Holy Spirit leads. But I get sidetracked. I look to my left where some friends are being successful in their careers. I look to my right where other friends are going on extravagant vacations and buying new vehicles and boats. I look behind me and see my past mistakes and wonder how in the world God will ever use me because I’m so broken. When what I should be doing is keeping my eyes on the Holy Spirit. I should not be turning toward others as I go through life. Instead, I should be keeping my eyes on Jesus, taking the next step right in front of me, and going where He leads.
It’s so easy to compare ourselves with others, isn’t it? To want more talent or a bigger house or better-behaved children. But when we take our eyes off of Jesus and look at others, we will be led astray and miss out on the things He has planned for us.
And God doesn’t want us to live out someone else’s calling. He wants us to live out our own calling.
This example of keeping your eyes on the Holy Spirit has recently been lived out right in front of me in a couple ways. We have friends who are uprooting their family, leaving behind a successful medical career and a beloved farm, to follow Jesus. They are moving several hours away to attend seminary, and although it is a difficult thing, they know it is the right thing.
Also, my dear friend and worship leader who has mentored me both musically and spiritually for the past 10 years, is stepping down from our church to take a position at a much smaller and less prominent church in another town. We’ve talked at length about his decision, his fears and uncertainty. But it all comes back to him following where the Holy Spirit is leading. 
I know all too well how easy it is to stay right where we are because it’s comfortable. It’s known. And even if our circumstances aren’t great, we so often tend to stay there because it feels too scary to go somewhere else. It takes a leap of faith to step out into something new, doesn’t it? Even when we feel sure it’s what God is calling us to do.
To be honest, right now my life doesn’t require a lot of faith. Running errands, being a mom, going to work, cooking dinner. It’s just routine. I’ve been wrestling with a few questions lately and I’m a little afraid of the answers:
What would my life look like if I kept my eyes on Jesus and followed where He leads?
Would my life and family look any different?
Would my work look different?
Would my ministry to others look different?
I recently heard Krystal Samuel say that “If you are glorifying your comfort, you’re not being obedient.”
I don’t want to glorify my comfort. I want to glorify Jesus. And I don’t want to live out someone else’s calling. I want to live out mine.
I’m wrestling with this, y’all. How all this works. The premise is simple but that doesn’t mean it’s easy.
What about you? Are you stuck in the rut of comfort?
Today I’m praying that I will be “unstuck.” That’s a scary prayer, if I’m being honest. But I want to keep my eyes on Jesus and follow where the Holy Spirit leads.