Does God Care Where We Choose to Live?

Does God Care Where I Live?

Does God Care Where I Move To?

Years ago I heard a pastor say he doesn’t believe God cares where we live — what area, what house, etc.

I respect his opinion but I tend to disagree.

I see God’s specificity throughout His Word, as well as in our own home situations over the years.

Over twenty years ago, we built a home in our new little town. As relatively new believers, we knew nothing about the beauty of tithing, but it didn’t take long to realize our budget couldn’t handle that kind of mortgage if we were going to tithe fully.

So we sold the new house and moved into a 50 year-old two bedroom, one bath house. People thought we were crazy moving into such a small home with two little boys in tow but some of our happiest memories were made in that home. As a matter of fact, our oldest son and his wife bought the home years after we’d left because he had such good memories there.

Our 50 year-old home. Image Courtesy of Google.

Our 50 year-old home. Image Courtesy of Google.

After eight years of living in our “tiny” home, we felt the boys needed more space as teenagers so we went in search of a little larger home. We put a full price offer on a home across town but they denied it. {Whaaat?} We scratched our heads at the time but remained confident God closed the door for a reason bigger than we could understand. A few weeks later we landed in a home/area where our boys made life-long friends, and had room to play music.

When the boys began entering college we decided to move back to an older home. God sent a buyer from NY who had one weekend to find a home. He gave us a full price offer because he didn’t want to squabble over price. We look back now at our own full price offer that was denied and thank God for it.

That closed door opened many others that would’ve never opened otherwise.

The examples could continue but suffice it to say I’m convinced God does care about the details of our lives. He cares about the community where we’ll live, the people we will meet, the friends our children will make, the church we’ll belong to, the money we will spend. Why? Because He cares about you, me, our families, and those around us.

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I believe our heavenly Father delights in leading us to places where we can flourish emotionally, physically, and spiritually — all for His glory! And because He cares, why wouldn’t we pray for His direction?

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. Hebrews 11:8

So, what do you think? Do you believe God cares where you live? Please share below!

Cathy Baker

Cathy Baker is an award-winning writer and author of Pauses for the Vacationing Soul: A Sensory-Based Devotional Guide for the Beach as well as Pauses for the Vacationing Soul: A Sensory-Based Devotional Guide for the Mountains. As a twenty-five-year veteran Bible instructor, she's led hundreds of studies and workshops. She's also contributed to numerous anthologies and publications, including Chicken Soup for the Soul, The Upper Room, and Focus on the Family’s Thriving Family. In addition, her poetry can be found in several popular anthologies. She and her husband, Brian, live in the foothills of the Carolinas where she one day hopes to have her very own Goldendoodle. Subscribe to Cathy's blog and receive a free e-book, Praying In Every Room of Your Home. http://www.cathybaker.org

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4 comments

  1. God very clearly told me what town to live in so I’m closer to my children. It’s allowed me to further strengthen the bonds between them and I which has been a battle since their mother chose divorce. God absolutely cares where we live and will tell us where to go if we just listen.

  2. I couldn’t agree more JW! God bless you for listening and responding. Your family is obviously blessed as a result. Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing.

  3. Awesome insight! I believe exactly the same way. God has led us right where He wants us, and we are staying right here until he tells us otherwise. Thank you for this inspiring article!

  4. What happens when you feel totally lost? My wife turned down a job promotion opportunity and a community we really liked because we couldn’t find a church we felt we were supposed to be part of. There were several other job opportunities that came up at her current place of employment at the same time, so we felt that perhaps God was closing one door, and opening another. However, now eight months later, those other opportunities have all fallen through. We thought we were doing a good thing by making church the priority (seek ye first the kingdom of God), but now we are questioning our decision. There doesn’t appear to be anything on the horizon, and now we feel totally lost.

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