Romans 8:5-8 Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God’s action in them find that God’s Spirit is in them – living and breathing God! Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking our about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. And God isn’t pleased at being ignored.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Evangelist Joyce Meyer tells a story about going to the grocery store one day and getting in the checkout line behind a woman who was struggling to come up with the change to pay her bill. She had a couple of small children clinging to her legs and she was clearly flustered and embarrassed as she counted the money in the bottom of her purse. Joyce heard God telling her to help the woman. At first, she argued… “No, LORD… that will only add to her embarrassment. I can’t get involved. This is not my problem.” But God would not stop troubling Joyce’s spirit, and she ended up handing over a couple of dollars (or whatever was needed). As the woman looked toward Joyce, her entire body seemed to relax in relief, and she thanked her profusely for helping.
There are several lessons here. First of all, every one of us hears that “inner voice” more often than we will admit. The trouble is… we’ve gotten pretty good at squelching or ignoring it! In my prayer journal, I found these sermon notes… “All the ‘gifts’ lie in a man’s spirit. Most of the time, people fear and aren’t willing to hear that Voice. It shuts down and Satan comes in to cause you to fear the word of the Spirit and operating in it.” So we argue with God… “No, LORD… I can’t do THAT! Please don’t ask me to speak to him/her. I can’t get involved… I’m too busy… shy… underdressed… lacking (in whatever area seems to fit at the moment).”
I’ve heard Joyce Meyer tell more than one story about God speaking to her and saying she should help someone else. On occasion, she ignored Him… and it gnawed at her. The times she listened, she not only blessed the other person, but God blessed her, as well. Blessings and prosperity are not about you… they are about God! He reaches us through our Spirit, who then reaches us through our mind. When you hear that “voice” telling you to do something, don’t let your intellectual fear hold you back. Too many of us are letting our head (intellect) lead us instead of our heart (the Holy Spirit).
I am trying to operate more from the heart than the head. It’s not easy, because Satan works hard to plant fear in our hearts and minds and make us think that what we are hearing is not really coming from God. But when I can’t shake a feeling that I am supposed to call someone… when I know somewhere deep within me that there is something I am supposed to do – especially for someone else - I am learning to step out in faith and lead with my heart. You’ve heard the saying, “Go with your gut!” I believe God often speaks to us from our “gut” – the very inner workings of our body. And yes… I’ve given a few pennies to someone at the checkout who was digging for change… and it felt great for both of us.
Don’t be afraid to do what God tells you to do. Don’t live in the defeat of intellectual fear. Don’t give Satan that satisfaction. Recognize that this is not about us… it’s about God. He is speaking to us each and every day… showing us how to serve, who to bless in His name, and how to live outside our own “self.” Don’t ignore Him! Focus on listening for His voice… and when He speaks, step up and out… then get ready to live in the blessings that will come for you and those you serve.
©2012 Debbie Robus
No comments:
Post a Comment