Understanding God’s TimingSample

Before understanding how to recognize God's call to shift, we must first understand the nature of His presence. The pattern established in Exodus reveals something remarkable about how God guides His people, both then and now.

In Exodus 40:34-35, it says, "Then the cloud covered the Tabernacle, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle. Moses could no longer enter the Tabernacle because the cloud had settled down over it, and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle." (NLT) Two significant words emerge here: "filled" and "settled." God's presence first settled upon the tabernacle, then filled it completely.

This pattern of God’s presence reappears in the New Testament. In Acts 2:1-3, it says, "On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. 2 Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. (NLT)" Notice the parallel—God's presence filled the room and settled on each believer.

This reveals a profound truth: the nature of God's presence is to fill and settle. Furthermore, these moments of filling and settling preceded significant shifts. Before the tabernacle moved, God's presence filled and settled. Before the apostles went out, God's presence filled and settled. Divine shifts always follow the Lord’s presence.

Consider how this applies to our lives today. Our bodies have become the temple of God, the dwelling place of His Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 6:19, it says, "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" Just as the tabernacle and the upper room were filled with God's presence before significant shifts, our lives must be filled with His presence before we shift.

This presence does more than simply inhabit us—it guides and governs our movements. In Exodus 40:37-38, it says, "But if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not journey till the day that it was taken up. For the cloud of the Lord was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys." God's presence determined when they would follow and when they would remain.

The same principle applies to us. The Holy Spirit within us—the same cloud that guided Israel but now dwells within believers—directs our steps. We are called to neither move ahead of this guidance nor lag behind it. Instead, our responsibility is simple: follow when He leads and remain when He establishes.

This understanding transforms how we approach potential shifts in our lives. Rather than making decisions based primarily on circumstances, opportunities, or personal preferences, we learn to discern the movement of God's Spirit. True wisdom lies in aligning our movements with His guidance.

Pause and Ponder: How sensitive are you to the guidance of God's Spirit in your life? Are you more prone to moving ahead of His guidance or hesitating when He calls you forward?