Clarity

 

"Clarity is the last thing you are clinging to and must let go of. I have never had clarity; what I have always had is trust. So I will pray that you trust God."

~ Mother Theresa

Although I do not know all that Mother Theresa taught (so I cannot affirm or disapprove all that she she said), this quote has profoundly impacted me. I am currently listening to a sermon by H.B. Charles, and he references this quote as well, stating that it is not necessarily clarity or vision that we lack in following God, but rather, trust.

Lately, probably over the past several months, I have keenly felt this lack of clarity. When I heard that Mercy Ships did not need me to serve in the 2018/2019 field service in Guinea 🇬🇳, it did not bother me because I appreciated the definite answer from God. It was wonderful to see God answering my prayer by telling me "no", quite clearly. (Compare this to how I responded after losing my place to serve in Cameroon). However, since that time, I realize that I have struggled with not knowing what to do next. When it is clear to see what is next in my life, I have no problem. But when I do not even have direction for the next day or week, that is where life becomes more challenging. Like Mother Theresa and H.B. Charles prayed, I too ought to ask the Lord for trust in Him.

Clarity is wonderful; it allows us to see with crisp vision as to what is around us and what is the correct path to choose. Clarity keeps us from getting lost in life. As defined in the dictionary, clarity is a "clearness or lucidity as to perception or understanding; freedom from indistinctness or ambiguity". Is not that a good thing? To avoid ambiguity and to perceive the path one should take? Of course! But it also depends on what one's purpose is in seeking that clarity. If I desire clarity at the expense of growing in Christ, then what I need is not clarity at all. What I need is trust.

Let me explain a little further. Too often we view blockades in life as obstacles to be moved. When the path is too dim to see clearly, we seek out a flashlight. We are a people who want instantaneous solutions to our problems. But what if that enormous wall was placed in my path by God? What if I wasn't meant to get over or around it? What if the pitch black world was ordained by the Lord and being unable to see my hand in front of my face is exactly what He wants for me? Why would God do something like this?! It seems so bizarre and counterintuitive; after all, God is the Light and He has the power to move mountains.

What I have been learning is that those troublesome circumstances in my life can actually be used for good (Romans 8:28), if they cause me to trust Jesus. When it is too dark out or I cannot climb the mountain in my path, and the next step is not at all clear, this is where faith and trust come in! The crux of this blog post are these well-known (and often-termed cliché) verses in Proverbs:
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

~ Proverbs 3:5-7

However, these verses are not cliché! I myself had forgotten this promise of God to direct my steps. I posted an article about trusting God from Proverbs 3:5-6 last year, and needed another reminder. Although I find myself in different circumstances now, compared to last year, the command from the Lord is the same. I am told to trust Him. It does not matter that I don't know if I should go back to school or move or stay put or travel or go into missions or [insert other desires here]. All I know to do right now is trust God, and He has promised to guide my steps. He will take my hand and lead me one step forward. He will shine light on the single next step. I do not know when. I do not know how. But He is faithful, and what I need is not clarity, but trust.

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