When I Tried to Obey God and It Didn’t Work Out

File this one under Adventures in Following Jesus.

A few years ago, I was walking in praying and felt like the Lord said, “Change email platforms for broad email distribution.”

That came out of left field, but it seemed good to do that.

It was not an easy transition. The new platform was new, and still buggy. So frustrating.

I kind of made it work, with lots of support desk questions and frustrations, but kept thinking: surely this will work better … at some point.

Nine months in, three emails in two weeks didn’t go out when I had scheduled them.

Should I change? I couldn’t get clarity as I kept asking the Lord.

My business partner Bob said, “Ask Paul! He’s a technology guy!”

So I asked Paul: “If you feel like the Lord prompts you to do something, and you do, and then it doesn’t seem to work out, at what point do you change direction? Or is it better to stay the course?”

Paul said, “If it’s not working, you change. That’s a business decision. You need the platform to do what you want it to do. And, really, stick with the more mainstream products. Don’t chase down the little new startup.”

My mom had a similar take. She said, “We cover our business in prayer, but we don’t try to pray through each specific thing. We do our due diligence, and then we make our best decision, based on what we’ve discovered.”

Part of me wants to know: did I mishear?

But whether I did or not, I appreciate that we can change direction without making God mad.

Obedience to the best of our ability, and also due diligence, and being okay with changing.

I would be happy if no one else dealt with this kind of second guessing, and it was an Amy-only thing—but in case you’ve wrestled with this, too: solidarity!

Thank you, Lord, that you go into our future to shield us from the mistakes of the past.

Thank you that you always have a solution.

May we walk with you in joy. Amen.

The Lord has given me this authority, not to pull down but to build up,

Amy Joy

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