I am utterly convinced that God works with different people in different ways. We can put that down to personality type, degree of faith, circumstances.

And we can understand that sometimes God works with us in different ways for reasons unknown. However perhaps experience teaches us that as we journey with God we discover what His particular methodology is with us.

For me, it has become increasingly obvious that God looks to me to burn some bridges before He comes through with either provision or leading. I still don’t know what this means, but let me give you some illustrations.

Moving House

As Melinda and I planned and prayed about moving close to our Church community we looked for a house. We could not find one. It was not until one day Melinda said something like this. “Mark, God wants us there, we need to sell our house in faith” So sell our house we did. It took just over a week to sell. But that is not the amazing aspect. In the week after we sold it, we stumbled across the house Melinda loved, and it was not even for sale yet! The owner was someone we knew through a ministry of our church and through coincidence we found our she was going to sell. We bought it before it even went on the market. This was when the market was at its hotest and houses on the street were selling in hours. God made His point.

Moving Church

Not me moving from Church, but our Church moving to a new building. For years we as a church were looking at new facilities for our growing church community. Somewhere that our community could access and utilities and we could have programs suitable for our culture. It was not until we as a church had stated our intention to sell all our property, that a suitable building came up. When it did, we were ready to act.

Other Moves

There are other examples but they involve other people and situations which perhaps are best left private. But there are numerous other ways, some small, some significant, which match this pattern.

Why?

Do I know why God acts this way with me? No I don’t. And I am not really asking for insights particularly. But it is clear to me that He does not work this way with some other people. Some I am sure He does, but I have noticed with some people God shows the way, provides, before time. Maybe He likes to test me! I don’t know. Either way, journeying with God is never boring. Understanding how He has worked in my life has been significant for me.

You

Please do not take my thoughts here as application for you dear reader. Maybe you resonate with this, maybe you don’t. I have seen other mature Christians wait on God until it is clear He has led or provided. It amazes me how God places in some peoples paths the job, the leading, the provision. You need to find your own way, relationship and understanding of God’s work in your life.