Spirit Lead Me

Hillsong recently came out with a great song called “Oceans.” The chorus of the song says, “Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders. Let me walk upon the waters, wherever you would call me. Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander and my faith will be made stronger in the presence of savior.”

That’s an excellent chorus and I think it has a lot of different meanings to many different people. As a Bible college student training for a life in ministry, at first it meant to me that I was asking that God would lead me wherever he wanted to in the context of ministry. It meant that if he wanted me to be a Bible smuggler in China and do crazy things out of my comfort zone, that I would do it. And that can certainly be one meaning of the song.

But recently the song has taken on a deeper meaning to me. Now it is not only a pray for God to lead me wherever there is ministry to be done, but it is a prayer for God to lead me wherever life in general takes me. And no matter what storm may come my way, I will continue to trust in him and have my faith be strengthened because of it. It has become a prayer for my life, not just for ministry.

When I sing this song now, I’m telling God that I will follow him into the unknown areas of life and I will trust him even when there seems to be waves crashing all around me. I will step out of that boat, onto the waters, to follow Jesus and put my trust in him alone even when the storm rages on in the background.

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders, if that means leading me into a new season of life where I remain in the same place but most of my friends move on, let it be. I trust in you. If that means going back to my home town where life is harder to manage and a little lonely, let it be. If that means surrendering my family’s health to you and remembering that you are eternal even when are not, let it be. If that means fulfilling a role that requires people to dislike me so I can be able to help even one, let it be. If that means being exhausted because of serving you, let it be.

Lead me wherever I must go to learn to trust you and rely on you more. Lead me wherever your divine and perfect will would have me go. Let me step out of that boat of comfort and stability, and have the faith to follow you to the scary places. Let me have the faith to step out of the boat onto the stormy seas so that I will learn to call upon your name instead of focusing on the waves.

And as a result, my faith will be made stronger. I will get to know you on a deeper level. I am yours, and you are mine. Spirit lead me through the trials of life, across those stormy seas, and use it to bring me closer to you. I will trust in you.

Oceans isn't just about Isaiah 6:8, "Here I am, Lord send me." It's also about, James 1:2-4, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."