A Lesson in Leaning In

I grew up in a somewhat Pentecostal church. We speak in tongues, we dance when we worship, we cry and sob when the Holy Spirit touches our hearts — that sort of thing. Over the years, I’ve learned that when God moves, it isn’t always sensational. Much like Elijah on the mountain, there are times when God whispers. No fire, no earthquake, no sobbing on the floor while knelt down. He simply just speaks.

While I do know this, it’s only this past church camp that the Lord really taught me what it meant to lean in and listen.

Just a little background: we call our church camp “Encounter Camp”. I’ve been going ever since our church started in 2010. I’ve been serving on the worship team every year and even served as one of the organizers for the camp for a few years. It’s a busy time but the Lord moves mightily every year.

And yeah, when I say “moves mightily”, it’s generally in the Pentecostal sense.

This year was no different. God moved mightily. The Holy Spirit’s work was so evident in every one who was there. But it was different for me this time around. In past years, there were moments when the Lord just floored me with His presence. There were times when His Word and conviction was so strong it had me so fired up to get back into ministry and do His work. There were times when I was prayed over by leaders and given words and prayers that I still remember to this day.

This year? No sobbing. Nothing of the sort that got me “hyped”, at least not in the usual sense. I didn’t even get prayed for personally by anyone.

But it was clear what God was trying to teach me: lean in and listen.

We learned about Samuel during this camp and this was one of the key points: sometimes, we get lost in the doing when all we have to do is wait.

Coincidentally (but it’s God so it’s really not), the word that I received in last year’s Encounter Camp was to prepare for the work ahead, to gird up my loins and ready myself. Seems like God is now pulling me back a little bit and reminding me, “Hey, remember, I don’t want your work. I want you.”

This year has been a lot of work but there’s also way more work ahead, so this lesson is very timely. I really felt that God was teaching me because most of the things I learned and received were from the teaching. As I sit here typing in a coffee shop (yet again), I’m also reviewing all the notes that I got to really glean things from them.

He also taught me how to listen. While I wasn’t prayed for by myself, I learned to listen to the prayers for others and it was as edifying and encouraging as being prayed for myself! I’ve done life and walked with these people for years so to hear the prayers, prophecies, and words spoken over them is such an encouragement and, to be honest, also quite hilarious because God is just so timely and on point. That’s another thing God taught me this camp: He really does have a great sense of humor.

There was nothing sensational that happened to me personally because the Lord was really teaching me not to rely on all of that, so I had to learn how to sit and wait, to set aside time to really hear from Him and to pray. I feel like I’m going to need it for what’s ahead.

Did God move mightily? Definitely. But Him moving mightily isn’t always earthquakes and fire and tornadoes and weeping. Sometimes, it’s just about listening and leaning in.