BlackVoices Preach! Alisha Gordon on The Noah Syndrome

[From HuffingtonPost.com Black Voices Section, used by permission.]

Yesterday, as I was reading comments on a recent blog post I wrote, I felt an overwhelming feeling.

I really couldn't put a finger on it, but the thought that came to me was "what in the world was I thinking?"

In the midst of being obedient to God, we may ask ourselves that very same question. As we trudge through the thing He's told us to do, we may become weary, fearful, embarrassed, or even regretful that we stepped out on faith only to face ridicule, questioning of motives, and a major side eye from friends, family, and even strangers.

It is in this place that we have to have the Noah Syndrome.

God began to speak to me about Noah regarding his patience and obedience while building the ark. I want to share these things with you in a hope that you will continue on your path of obedience, even if that means you're considered crazy and foolish.

Ready? [This is exactly as God said it to me. Take it all in by the spirit.]

God told Noah to build an ark in Genesis 6 because every person on the earth turned their heart away from God. Noah, his wife, their sons and their wives would be only people saved on the earth for they were the only ones who had a heart towards God.

So plank by plank, Noah began building an ark. You can imagine what the people said to him? "You didn't hear that from God! That doesn't make sense! Rain? As in water falling from the sky? That's never happened before! You're stupid for building a boat!"

Keep in mind that at this point in earth it had never rained before. The earth had its own natural irrigation system (see Genesis 7:11 and 8:2) and the people had never seen what we know as rain.

Nevertheless, Noah kept building. To everyone, he looked crazy! He was acting on God's Word, believing God for something that had never been done before. It was beyond that society's understanding. Noah, however, was certain of what God told him so he kept building.

How many of you have the "Noah Syndrome"? How many of you were told by God to do something, say something, building something, and as you were doing it and maybe even after you were done, you looked "foolish" to people? You went back to school, started a business, resigned from your job to pursue a God idea, believed God for super natural debt cancellation. People laughed at you (more than likely behind your back). They said it was impossible. But you're 1,000% sure God told you to do it.

Well I'm here to tell you, the rain is coming. The promise of natural rain that God gave Noah is a promise of spiritual rain for you. Those who laugh will be in awe of what God has done in your life because you chose to be obedient even at the risk of being ridiculed by man.

Some may be in the gathering stage, others in the building stage. Some may be done and just simply waiting for rain as Noah did (Genesis 7:10). Don't become discouraged by the wait for rain. Don't get emotionally jarred by the whispers from friends and strangers on how foolish you look waiting for something that may have never happened before. Just wait. The rain is coming.

Another component to the Noah Syndrome is the ability to be patient. Noah was on the boat for over 10 months (Genesis 8:13). As the waters receded, he sent out a raven and a dove to test to see how dry the land was. (Genesis 8:6-16)

Noah sent out a raven that returned with nothing because it wasn't quite time to leave the ark.

Seven days later, he sent out a dove that returned with an olive leaf in its mouth, indicating that waters were receding, but not completely dry.

After another seven days went by, he sent the dove out again. The dove never returned. Why? Because the land was completely dry and it was now time for Noah and his family to exit the ark and continue with the rest of God's plan for their life.

Even in our obedience to God, we have to wait for His timing. Patience during the process is equally important as obedience! Leaving the ark earlier than God had wanted could have cost Noah's family their life (which would have defeated the purpose of God saving them in the first place!)

So the next time you get the side-eye from family, friends, your pastor, strangers,  anybody  for your crazy obedience to God (especially during a time when what you're believing for is beyond what man has seen), just tell 'em you have TNS -- The Noah Syndrome.

Follow Alisha L. Gordon, M.Ed. on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AlishaLGordon