God Does Speak To Us
Today God gave me a revelation about myself. Some of the hardest to accept, those Godly instructions to change something not right about ourselves, are the ones we attempt to ignore. It’s not the revelation I want to discuss first but how I received it, which was through me consoling a friend as her brother passed from this world. God chooses how He talks to us; we decide how we hear and respond (Mark 4:1-12).
When We Fail
Does it mean our Christian lives are ruined if we don’t heed His advice? Are our mistakes irreparable in God’s eyes? Can our direction never be rerouted? Fortunately, the answer is “no” to these questions.
My faith rests on the promises Paul tells us in Romans 8:31-39: What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the One who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Just as it is written,
“FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.” (Psalm 44:22)
But in all these things, we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This is one of my favorite verses of Scripture. When I feel as if I’ve messed things up so royally that I’ve caused God to give me over to myself and be done with me, He brings me to this promise recorded in the book of Romans.
He will never be done with me. Nothing in this world, heaven above or hell below, will separate me from God. As a “created thing” myself, I can not separate us. So when anyone says they “used to believe in God,” I say, “no, you didn’t; otherwise, you would still be His.” God tells us that anyone who believes in Him, His Son, and Holy Spirit is His child, but He also says He knows who truly believes and who doesn’t. We have eternal life solely based on obedience to the will of God (Matt. 7:21)- which is to believe in God’s Son. It is our faith that saves us, and it is our faith that pleases God. To believe in Him is not something you can change your mind about, nor will you ever desire it. You either believe Him, or you don’t.
God Spoke To Me Today
Back to how God spoke to me today. I’m a member of a group of women who’ve come together in various ways and from multiple backgrounds. We call it “Bookclub,” and although it started as such, it is no longer a book club. We are a mishmash of personalities; had it not been for the initial forming of the club, we would probably not be friends today. This diversity is part of the glue that’s helped bind us for many years. We are the yin and the yang.
On this particular day, a group member was saying her last goodbyes to her brother; we communicated through a group text, saying prayers for her and the family. But, as with most conversations within this group, one thing led to another, and the topic quickly turned. Others started asking to be lifted in prayer for various life situations. As I read through each request to the last, I wondered what prayers I might need.
Considering my life, God has blessed me without measure, so what prayer could I request my friends pray for me? I asked that question to God. Without hesitation, He spoke very clearly to my heart when He said, “Your attitude.” He answered with such speed it was almost as if He was waiting for me to ask.
Hard Pills To Swallow
Of course, I had to ask Him for an explanation. “What’s wrong with my attitude? I’m so thankful, grateful, and appreciative of each blessing in my life. I thank You daily, multiple times.” His response came as quickly as the last, “You’ve been asking me to remove the pain from your body. I’ve provided all the necessary information and knowledge to make that happen. I’ve pointed you in the right direction, but you won’t follow my advice consistently. What few attempts you’ve made have been made begrudgingly and with a poor attitude.”
Most times than not, when God answers our questions, He doesn’t say the things we want to hear. The hard truth hit me like a brick to the head. God was right, as always. My body hurts because I don’t take care of it. I refuse to exercise; I continue to eat foods I shouldn’t be consuming; I’ve become quite lazy.
Yes, it’s true, I am getting older, but it doesn’t have to be this fast, and there are things I can do to ease the pain of it. I could eat right and move more, for starters. And at the time of this conversation with my friends, I was eating right and exercising, but I had a poor attitude.
Thinking Outside The Box
To think outside the box, we must put away our preconceived ideas about how God communicates and how He loves us. Let’s forget what family, friends, clergy, and religion have taught us.
God speaks to us in innumerable ways. One way is through our friends or the people we fellowship with in our homes or theirs, at work, church, or anywhere. Sometimes it could be a stranger or even a non-believer. Often someone may not even know God is using them to speak His message. For example, when I’m talking to God, trying to sort out my thoughts with Him, I’ve heard him, loud and clear, tell me to speak with my husband, and every time I’ve done just that, my husband says what God wants me to hear.
Another way God speaks to me is through His Holy Word. I’ve recently been reading the Book of Mark. In chapter 3, Jesus heals a man with a withered hand. In verse 5, Jesus says, “Stretch out your hand.” I was thinking about that, so I asked Jesus why He didn’t pick the man’s hand up Himself. It was withered; he couldn’t lift or stretch it. Jesus replied, “I wanted him to put forth an effort; I would do the rest.” Jesus never commands us without enabling us. The man could have said, “How can I stretch out my hand? It doesn’t work.” His effort showed his faith in Jesus’ ability to do the rest.
In leading me to that verse, He told me that I’ve been asking Him to heal me but with no effort on my part. I never audibly said I wanted a pain-free body without any effort, but I communicated as much in my refusal to make an effort. Also, my lack of action is blocking my prayer from being answered. He has told me what to do; it’s on me to put forth the effort.
School of Hard Knocks
Have you ever been hit by a realization so hard that it brought you to your knees? This was one of those times for me. Jesus had just pointed out all the things I was doing wrong and all the right things I wasn’t doing.
It dawned on me that maybe this was one of those times Jesus would “give me over to my selfish desires.” In other words, leave me here, in my desire to be lazy and eat whatever I please. If left in this condition, it surely won’t be long before I start suffering the consequences of my choice to do nothing about my state. I worried that I had told God, “No, I’m sorry I can’t lift my withered hand so You, Almighty God, can heal it. I’m sorry. I just can’t be bothered with such effort on my part” one too many times.
We need to think outside the box and take God at His Word. Some religions tell us there are many ways to hell. Jesus says there is but only one way; unbelief. “I am the way and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6). And His Word says “NOTHING” can separate us. If you truly believe, He is the Son of God, who offered Himself up on our behalf to save us from ourselves, He knows this about you. He knows you, He sees you, and He hears you, always. No matter how many times we fall, He will be our rescuer, but we have a responsibility to let Him, to do what He tells us, and to stay out of His way while He works.
He also knows if you genuinely do not believe He is the Son of God. As a consequence, He will give you over to your selfish desires. If He leaves you, it is a choice you have made. In your unbelief, you send Him away. Even for a non-believer, it is not too late until you breathe your last breath on this earth. I haven’t ever faced near death, but I believe it is the final choice you will make before crossing into the next place God takes you. I think Jesus will knock at your heart’s door until it beats no more. I believe this because Jesus does not want to lose a single soul to the enemy (2 Peter 3:9). His enemy, Satan, is the hater of God and man.
Taking Him At His Word
Taking Him at His Word is what should bring Christians peace. Peace with the world, our neighbors, our souls, our pasts, and our futures. Because His word tells us that if we claim Him, He will claim us. His Holy Word should bring us peace, knowing if we mess up, we can take it to our Lord, who will direct us in our ways to bring about the good in our lives. But we must make an effort.
Faith does not simply believe God can but knows God will. Genuine faith is death to doubt. My poor attitude and lack of action were me doubting what God would do for me.
Personal Choice
Personal choice. That’s something we all need to consider in all situations and scenarios of our lives here on this earth, where none of us know the answers to any of life’s most daunting questions.
At our core, each of us has a void or a longing that can not be filled or satiated with any animate or inanimate object this world has to offer (Ecclesiastes 3:11). God created us, the world, and all that is in it. So isn’t it fitting that He gave us a personal choice, free will to believe He’s who He says He is or not? But knowing our selections would be less than stellar; He instilled in each of us the tiniest space that only He could fill. But sometimes, it’s hard to hear that calling or feel the slightest of tugs, so we ignore it and make the wrong decisions.
Many factors in our lives (no two identical) play a part in our daily choices. Some decisions are made from ignorance; others are made in haste or desperation. The reasons for making one choice over another are infinite. God knows everything and considers every thought and motive (Pro. 16:2; Heb. 4:12; 1 Thess. 2:4; 1 Cor. 4:5). But on our end, it all boils down to one choice; to believe or not to believe in Jesus. That is the minimal effort required of each of us. If we are to see the benefits of a blessed life or answered prayers, the first step we must take is to believe He is God.
Bringing It To The Point
As Christians, we aren’t given free rein to live any way we desire and not suffer the consequences of our actions. The situation in my life did not come about on its own. It came about because of poor choices on my part. Jesus has shown me what I must do to bring about the positive changes I desire.
First, I must believe He is who He says He is, and second I must believe He will do what He says He will do. Third, I must put forth the effort needed to see the desired results I seek. Fourth, I should search my heart and motives to make sure they are pleasing to God and not man.
Selfish motives can hinder our prayers. Motivation becomes an issue when we are not honest about why we are doing or not doing something. God already knows our reason; we should too. God knows when we give the outward appearance of obeying Him, but our hearts are hard. Just as He did when I was eating right and exercising with a deplorable attitude.
If our faith is genuine, our motives are pure, and our hearts are right toward Him, He will reward us.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of the soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Good word!