The Geese in the Fog

The day was cold.

Cold and foggy.

Cold and foggy and damp and dreary and what in God’s name was I doing out in it?

Walking, that’s what.

Walking and praying.

Praying and walking.

And I didn’t care about how cold or foggy it was because on this day I was desperate and yearning for an audience with – and a word from – God.

Anyway, I had a jacket.

It was one of the last times that I walked the 20-acre boundary of the church I had planted. And on this day the cold heaviness of the West Texas air was only exceeded by the cold heaviness in my spirit.

I got about halfway down the fence row, asking the Lord to speak to my heart. I so desperately wanted to hear His voice.

What I heard instead was the honking of the geese overhead.

Listening for God, I could only hear the dissonant, grating sound of geese. Can you relate?

Looking up, there was no way to see them, the fog was so heavy and low-hanging. But I could sure hear them.

I laughed to myself because of a recent conversation I’d had with my wife. She hates the sound of geese.

Eventually I did see them in the mist – surprisingly lower than I had imagined. And they were dealing with the same fog I was dealing with. Nevertheless, they flew in perfect formation, in a straight line.

And that’s how the Lord spoke.

Andy, the geese deal with the same fog you do. Yet they fly in perfect formation, directly where I am sending them. And the reason? They continue to communicate, even in the fog. What makes My people think they’re immune from the need to communicate with each other?

At the end of the day it doesn’t matter to the geese whether I think they sound pretty or not. All that matters is that they can hear each other’s voices, make adjustments to their flight patterns, and stay in formation so they can fulfill their God-given purpose.

I’m sure to many people Christians come across much like the Geese in the Fog.

Honking.

Flapping.

Honking some more.

What they don’t know is that we deal with the same fog as anybody else in the world. We have unanswered questions. We have unhealed hurts. We have unfulfilled desires. We have unyielding adversity. And what do we do about it?

The healthiest among us keep honking. And listening for the honking of our flapping partners.

(Wait for it… wait for it… here it comes…)

Objection! I’m not a goose. I’m a believer! I have the Holy Spirit! I don’t need other Christians.

If that’s what you truly believe you’re a fool. I didn’t say that – God did.

That indwelling Holy Spirit that you stupidly assume makes you immune from other believers? Have you ever noticed that when He passed out spiritual gifts to believers (yes, even to you) that over 90% of them were for the benefit of other believers? Have you noticed that half or more of them have something to do with you using your voice?

Have you not discovered yet that the way He most wants to instruct or encourage you has something to do with other believers? Are you really so consumed by the fog of your own arrogance, independence or fear that you’re blind to your need for others?  To be refreshed, encouraged, taught or protected by the faithful believers who join you on the journey?

My only regret on that cold, misty day was that I was flying solo myself. I was the only one listening to the Geese in the Fog… and to the Voice of the Spirit in that setting. No one to blame there but me. On that day and in that season, I was the fool.

Learn the lesson of the Geese in the Fog. However dreary, cloudy, or invisible the destination or journey, you aren’t alone… and you shouldn’t be. But to arrive safely at your destination, you’ll need to listen carefully to the sometimes-grating voices of those annoying Christians around you.

And sometimes you’ll need to do some honking of your own.

Tagged as: Communication, Fellowship, Independence, Relationships, Spiritual Gifts, Team Building, Teamwork