Waiting on God

I was ordained February 6, 2010. Since my ordination I have been waiting for God to give me a sign as to "What next for ministry?" I want to work for peace and justice but the question is where? Here in KY, DC, Chicago, somewhere else?

Two times I went to DC to attempt to find a place and two times I was unsuccessful. The latest because I cannot get out of my lease until 10/31 and the woman was looking for someone to move in Sept 1. In both Chicago and DC there are active peace and justice communities that I could be connected to. Here there is not an active community.

Attending AlAnon every Saturday, I listen to folks who have worked the 12 steps (same as for AA)and hear their stories and how their behavior has changed. Today the discussion was centered around "patience" and "knowing how to respond" yet not "planning" or taking action. God provides the means, the words whatever is necessary in the situation. Two experiences came to my mind:

I wrote on May 28 about my "feeling the need" to step into a situation where I believed I needed to take action. However the way the situation resolved itself had not one iota of a connection with my "stepping in" God provided the answer through the health care system and it had nothing to do with me. I stepped in and hurt family member feelings when if I had done nothing, no one would have been hurt and God would have provided the same results for my cousin Mike.

Today, I called a lawyer about getting out of my lease. The management company has it written that I must pay a penalty of two months rent: $1250 if I break the lease. Basically I think I must stay here until November 1to not pay the penalty. However, Steve will come over next week to read the lease and see if he agrees with my understanding. As soon as I hung up the phone, I got a call from a friend in Chicago who said, "The apartment you looked at is still open. The landlord is still working on it." I said, "I have a lawyer looking at the lease this week, I will call you back and let you know about the apartment."

In Jungian theory, synchronicity is an event over which I have no control yet it reinforces my emotional state or is an indication of what the universe would like me to do. Having these two phone calls back to back seems to indicate that "I will get out of the lease and that I am to head back to Chicago" where a reasonable cost apartment is waiting for me.

What makes me smile is that when I left Chicago I told friends, "I am only going on sabbatical. If God wills I will return." I think this is true, we will see what happens this week. Again, I don't have to take action, God opens doors.