We all like things to be a certain way. We appreciate the predictability of having a formula: we plug in this number, these ingredients, we follow this map, and voilà! mission accomplished!

In my last blog I wrote about transactions—the idea if we do good then good things will happen. However, we are often prone to apply this same thought process to a multitude of areas. Case in point: I remember early on as I was seeking to respond to this call into music ministry, I would ask any “Christian” musician I could find about how they arrived where they were: I was looking for a formula.

In the first conversation I had the artist stopped for a few seconds, pondered and then said “I don’t really know.” I sort of thought he might be blowing me off – that he didn’t want to let me in on the secret formula. But, after several such conversations I came to the realization that there was only one formula: obedience.

In other words, the only way to truly be successful in our calling is to simply follow God’s leading in our life.

Scripture puts it this way (Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB):

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Scripture also recounts several stories of Jesus healing blind men. But, in each account He did so in different ways – even He didn’t follow a formula. While wondering in the desert God instructed Moses to hit a rock with his staff and when he did so, water flowed out of it quenching the collective thirst of the Israelites. On another such occasion, God instructed Moses to speak to the rock. However, Moses became upset and struck the rock anyway.

Now, the human side of me is lead to believe that Moses’ thought process probably went something like this: “Really God? The last time you told me to strike the rock. Are You sure about this? I mean, I’m going to look really stupid standing here in front of everyone talking to a rock! C’mon God!”

So, Moses followed the formula and while God did honor his actions and provide water for His people, Moses was punished for his disobedience and was not allowed to enter the Promised Land.

When we are seeking God’s best for our lives there are no short-cuts and there certainly are no formulas, save one. To keep our focus in phase we simply need to trust and obey in God’s leading. Anything else will serve only to distract and delay. And like Moses, they may only allow us to see and not enter into the life God has purposed for us.