Same Direction...Only Different

By Terry Austin

Doing God’s will for your life may cause you to go in two different directions at the same time. It really is possible, although it took me a while to figure that out. I didn’t understand how to go in two different directions at the same time, and I am not really sure it is common knowledge.

Allow me to explain: when I trusted Jesus Christ as my Savior, I thought all of my roadblocks were gone. I thought I would have a clear path with no obstacles, and everyone would see things the way that I saw them.

It wasn’t long until I discovered just the opposite. I realized that doing God’s will or simply living day-to-day would bring about challenges I never dreamed. I would have to figure out a different way, or a new direction, to get done what was needed.

The idea of changing my mind or changing my direction caused a dilemma for me. How could I do this and maintain my integrity? It seemed I would compromise God’s will or give myself over to doubting. Either one of these options was unsettling to me because I felt like I was like a wave driven and tossed by the wind (James 1:6). I felt as though I was that double-minded man who could not be depended on or trusted. Honestly, I felt I was compromising God’s will in order to accomplish God’s will.

Maybe you can imagine how hard it was for me to learn that life is unpredictable, and the ministry is full of challenges. I found that pastoring a church was full of challenges, and I often had to adjust my thinking to accommodate someone or something. Whether I was ministering to people or keeping the church within its budget, I learned to check my direction often to ensure I was still on course. And, of course, sometimes I had to take a different direction to accomplish my goal.

My big dilemma came when I realized God was calling me into the military as an chaplain. This was big—I mean really big—because it was something I said I would never do. I was called to preach, not to be a military chaplain. But God was also calling me to be an Army chaplain. I had to reconcile the two callings. I came to realize that I could accomplish God’s will for my life by changing directions…yet going in the same direction. I could be an ordained minister endorsed by the National Association of Free Will Baptists while serving in the Army as a chaplain. I stayed on course serving God but changed directions by joining the Army.

I believe the Apostle Peter faced the same dilemma when God used him to break down social and racial barriers between the Jews and Gentiles. The Scripture (Acts 10:27-29) records Peter defying Jewish law by visiting Cornelius and his Gentile friends. Peter simply stayed on course serving God but changed directions by evangelizing the Gentiles. He suffered ridicule and misunderstanding from the other apostles, but he was confident in God’s will and knew he could be a faithful, believing Jew and minister to the Gentiles.

Maybe it’s time for you to stay on course by accepting a new direction for our Lord. He has a work prepared for you and for me. Simply do as Peter did and listen to the Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth.

About the Writer: Chaplain Colonel Terry Austin joined the Marine Corps in 1975, where he accepted Christ and answered the call to preach. During a missions conference, he committed himself to chaplaincy and returned to active duty December 1989. He has represented Free Will Baptists through Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Learn more about Free Will Baptist chaplain ministry at www.fwbnam.com.