God Told Me ...

I was on Young Life staff for several years, first as a Staff Representative in Baton Rouge, LA and then as an Area Director in Bowling Green, KY. My time in Bowling Green was a wonderful time. Mike was teaching at Western Kentucky University (Go Hilltoppers!) and as a Young Life Area Director, I was blessed to have a great committee of adults and 18 leaders over our four years there. Many high school students came to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior through the ministry there.

When new leaders wanted to join our YL team, they attended "Leadership Training" for a year. Upon completion of the course, they made a verbal commitment to serve as a Young Life leader for two school years (unless they were a graduating senior.) This pledge was important because it was disruptive for the high school kids to have a lot of leadership turn-over in their Young Life Club. Young Life is a relationship ministry. Consistent relationships are foundational.

The two year commitment was never a problem until ... one day a leader who was in the middle of his/her first year of commitment said, "God told me that I'm supposed to quit leadership."

I thought the statement was interesting. Does God tell us to break our commitments? Since God is the epitome of a promise keeper, it seems He would not direct His children to break their pledge. It's possible that God might lead a person to do so, but not probable.

I released the leader from their commitment. I asked that he/she would consider praying to see if they were operating in their FLESH or truly following the SPIRIT.

Please be mindful when you use the phrase, "God told me to ______."