“Name it and claim it!” “Speak your best life into being.” “Agree with what you want to be true and it will become true.”
Grace teachers are accused of giving people false hope. Some say that grace teaching falls short because it doesn’t require the performance the Bible requires. Repentance and change, they say, are the key to everything believers are promised. Obedience and duty and service and consistency are required, they say. People will not become what we say or have what we say unless they pay the price.
They are wrong. The hope of the gospel is not false hope. Nor is it found in performance and obedience. It is found in Jesus. He has done the work. He has paid the price.
But some teachers who claim grace as their message do forget the one requirement: JESUS!
The life and freedom and joy offered by the message of grace is only found in Jesus. Only those who have come to Him in faith will exchange their life for the one He offers. And only those who have the life of Jesus will have the victory and forgiveness He offers.
You see, Christians are not people who have had a change of thinking. We have had a change of life. Our life-source is different. Not updated or fixed, but actually replaced. The old life in which we placed our hope is gone. The new life in us is Him. Eternal life doesn’t just mean living forever; it means living in Him. Because He is our Life, we share in His eternal life.
So, when I write about the things Christians have in Jesus I mean that those things are only in Jesus. They are not available to everyone apart from Him. No unbeliever can have them. No one who has not come to Jesus in faith has this new life. You have to be a Christian.
There are people who seem to forget this. They offer the blessings of the Christian life without the one requirement. It is not obedience or service. It is not church membership or duty. It is not avoidance of sin or abundance of good works. It is Jesus.
Jesus is a real Person who loves you. He came to offer Himself because of that love. He rose from the dead to call you to Himself. And, when you come to Him to exchange the life you think you have for the life He offers, He makes you a new creation. Only then are you forgiven and set free from sin. Only then do you have a future and hope in glory. Only then are you a Christian.
It sometimes feels like the message of grace is challenged from every side. There are those who want people to do enough of what they think is important in order to be saved. Then there are those who think all people somehow receive the blessings of the cross. But the message of grace doesn’t sell the gospel short on either side. It is focused on Jesus. He alone is the “Author and Finisher” of our faith and our life.
“To have it all, you have to pay the price!” I remember Zig Ziglar challenging that way of thinking. He didn’t think it was wise to tell people to focus on the price, especially if you were trying to motivate them. Instead, he said we should focus on the benefits. Losing weight is not a process of diet and exercise and paying the price. It is a process of living healthier and lighter. Learning a skill is not a process of hard study and long hours, but a process of growing and becoming more available for opportunity. No wonder people loved to listen to him!
This way of thinking is even more important in the Christian life. It is not that we achieve the things Jesus promises us by paying the price but that we enjoy the benefits of what He has already given to us. In Him, we already have it all. We just don’t understand the reality of who we are or Who He is yet.
So, if Jesus says that His sheep know His voice, then we do know His voice. We discern it and hear it above the rest of the voices. That is true for us even if it doesn’t seem like it.
I suspect that the key to hearing His voice is to relax. None of the other voices tell us to relax and trust in Jesus. They all call us to activity and worry and stress. Instead, we are called to rest in Jesus.
This will seem too simple for anyone who is driven by fear and guilt, but I offer it to those who are free from guilt and have no reason to fear. All who are in Jesus. Relax. Trust that He will get His message to you. Listen to what He has already told you and believe Him. He loves you. You are forgiven. You will not be judged according to your performance. Your future hope is secure in Him. These are all things He has already said.
When a person who is not used to speaking in front of a group is confronted with a microphone, they will often say that they don’t need one. They believe they will speak clearly and loudly without it. I have to tell them that the microphone is not for them, but for their listeners. Some people have trouble hearing. It has nothing to do with your speaking, but with their hearing. They need the microphone.
You see, the burden of delivering a message is on the person who is speaking (or writing). If your message is important enough for you to deliver it, then you are tasked with delivering it in the best way in which it can be heard. You don’t whisper to your neighbors that their house is on fire. You shout. You make yourself obnoxious and insistent. If you want someone to know you love them, you can’t do it in a mean or uncaring way.
God wants you to hear Him. He wants you to follow His leading. And the burden of His message is on Him. We do not find listening easy. He will find ways to lead us and get His message through.
So, relax. Very often, I come to the Lord in prayer and confess my density. I ask Him to break through the distractions and the dullness of my mind so that I hear. Then I realize that even that is not really necessary. I yield my heart to Him and ask Him to move me to follow Him. I don’t have to understand, but I do want to follow. So, I ask Him to move me in the right path. Then, I trust Him.
As I was writing this post, for example, I suddenly lost it all. The post, which was almost finished, simply disappeared. No matter what I tried, I couldn’t get it back. I’ve used a computer for writing for 42 years. That happens rarely, but it does happen. When it does, I have tried to remember to thank Him and begin again. Maybe I wrote something I should not have. Maybe a different message was needed. Rather than complain and feel loss, I have usually been able to accept that as His leading.
Failure, interruption, distraction. All these uncomfortable things may be leading from the Lord. Trust Him. Let Him lead you. You don’t need words. You don’t need understanding and reason. You just need Him. And He is with you.
“You have not because you ask not.” That’s what Jesus said. If you want to hear His voice, to receive His leading, then ask.
Last week, a good question was asked: “What if I can’t hear His voice?” There are those times, right? In fact, there are a lot of those times.
My mom and I had an agreement that I would be home when she came to the end. She would tell me, and I would come. She did, and I did. I sat by her bed in the hospital barely knowing that she knew I was there. I could talk with her, but she didn’t answer. Until I told her I loved her. She said, and these were her last words to me, “I love you too.”
There is a difference between someone talking and someone hearing. There are times in our lives when we just can’t hear. We are barely hanging on. The distractions are too great. The emotions are too loud. The struggle is almost overwhelming. That “still, small voice” seems to be silent.
We want assurance. We want guidance. We want words of comfort. But sometimes all we get is silence. David understood. Even Jesus understood. That doesn’t mean the Lord has abandoned us or is ignoring us. It means we simply can’t hear right now.
So, ask Him to speak a word of love. It might be a thought, a word from a friend, a simple “coincidence,” or an outright miracle. But He will give you something. Something will break through, a tiny ray of light or a memory of music, something to let you know the Lord is with you in your struggle. He is not far away. He is with you.
When you ask, don’t demand the whole list of answers you want. Don’t expect some commendation for your hard work. Don’t expect detailed explanations for what you are going through. Chances are that you won’t be able to understand the information you receive anyway. You don’t need answers, you just need presence. Just listen for a small word of love. That will be enough. You will know that you are not alone.
The Lord is with you. That’s His promise. Accept any small whisper of love that gets through the craziness.
I have been with many people as they neared the end of their earthly lives. So often, just holding hands is all the communication of love they hear. They just want to know that they are not alone, that someone cares.
And, really, that’s all we need. Just to know that Jesus is with us. Just to know that we are not alone. A gentle squeeze on our hand, a whispered word of love, a glimpse of beauty. If we are willing to accept these things, we can know that He is with us.
I want to hear my Master’s voice and listen only to Him.
I am confident that you would join me in that desire. We have been considering the various voices that speak into our hearts and minds. I don’t want to listen to the evil one. I don’t want to follow the world. I don’t want to be manipulated by the desires of my flesh. I just want to hear my Lord.
In times of confusion and uncertainty, in times like today, we need the assurance and comfort that come from knowing the Master’s voice. Let me suggest a few things that might help.
First, what has the Master said? His voice today will be consistent with His voice in the past. What He warns us against and desires for us will be the same as it has been. The world changes, and our flesh is not to be trusted, but the Lord remains the same. His concern for us is the same “yesterday, today, and tomorrow.” Knowing the truth of what He says about us is important. When He says that He loves us, that He has accepted us, that He welcomes us with joy into His presence, we can believe that. Nor do His feelings toward us change when we do something stupid or sinful.
So, ask yourself: Is this what Jesus has said before? Did His “everlasting love” stop? Is He still concerned about the effect of sin in our lives? Did He suddenly or even gradually change His mind?
Second, His voice is always one of love for His people. Always. Always. Yes, I know there are preachers who would challenge that. They suggest that sin will make Jesus stop loving us, that we might still be saved (maybe) but we better prepare for an angry scolding. They are wrong. They think that message is the only way to keep you from sin. They are wrong. No believer should ever be made to think they have been separated from the Lord’s love by their actions. It will be love that draws us back to Him.
You are the “apple of His eye.” You are the “pearl of great price.” You are His child, His beloved. That has not and will never change. You might suffer earthly consequences from your sin or the sin of others, but Jesus will be with you through it all. He will not let you go.
Finally, whenever the voices accuse or shame you, whenever they suggest something evil, ask yourself what kind of thinking that is. Someone used to talk about “stinkin’ thinkin.” Stinkin’ thinkin’ is when you call yourself names and belittle your value. Stinkin’ thinkin’ is when you dream about revenge or commiting sin. The voices lead to that kind of thinking. In that thinking, they can manipulate your heart.
Instead, affirm what you know the Savior thinks of you. Let His mind, His way of thinking, be yours. The future is always hopeful. The good is always in your day. Blessings abound for you. These are not just nice things to think; they are statements of truth. The Lord is always strong, always wise, and always good on your behalf. You can trust Him. And you can hear His voice when you allow His thoughts in your mind.
When the other voices tempt you to worry, remember the great love of God. Remember that Jesus loves your child, your grandchild, your spouse more than you do. Remember that His way is the good way. Remember that He walks with others on their paths just as He has walked with you.
It really isn’t that hard to hear the voice of the Master. We just need to look to Him and remember who He is. Every other voice will fade away.
According to one source, the Greek god Pan had a “stentorious” voice. That means it was loud and strong. We usually think of Pan as a musician, but he was also supposed to have had great power in his voice. It was terrifying. When Pan wanted, he could cause armies to run away from battle in great fear. He could make strong men tremble. He could cause, well, panic. (And, yes, that’s where the word comes from.)
The power of the voices in our lives can hardly be dismissed. They shout words of fear into our hearts with lies and suggestions and confusion. They whisper divisions between friends and family members. The world wants us to be afraid so it can offer its answers. The evil one wants us to look to his influences rather than our Lord’s. The flesh feeds on adrenaline and endorphines and dopamines that it produces by moving us to anger and fear. These voices do have power.
In the last post I wrote about waking at 3AM. How many times have you been awakened by a shout or loud noise in a dream or one that seemed to fit into a dream? Your child screams. Your spouse says your name. Your friend accuses you. Then, you wake up in a panic.
Of course, panic doesn’t always happen at night. Sometimes it builds slowly. The voice gets stronger and louder, especially as you think about the problem. Panic grows in your heart and mind.
Now, for the most part, I am not writing about “panic attacks.” Those are often the result of physical or chemical events in the body. Several illnesses and conditions can create feelings of panic, which are often interpreted by the sufferer as outside threats. Medications, diet, and other methods help people overcome this physically caused panic. If you experience what seems like a physical panic, you should talk with a good doctor.
But even in those times, the voices offer the problems for the mind. The hints and suggestions and whispers from the voices become shouts of despair and anxiety. Somewhere the idea of not having enough entered into our thinking, for example. That becomes a focus in times of panic. Whether in the middle of the night or at a time of physical weakness, our thoughts focus on finances. Sometimes it may be insecurity in a relationship. Sometimes the health issues become fearsome. The voices supply the focus.
And the opportunistic abusers know how to manipulate people who suffer from these thoughts and feelings. They feed on the weakness they sense when a certain topic comes up and work to make sure it comes up more. Panic causes vulnerability and, often, bad decisions. When we can look at those thoughts and feelings with the understanding that they are not our own, we may find the strength to avoid or step away from the abuser.
I am often impressed by the wisdom of the ancient peoples. They understood things about our feelings and thoughts. They knew enough about the fears we suffer to know that it is an outside voice that causes panic. Give the feeling the name of a god to show that it is not from us. In other words, those feelings come from the voices outside.
And, if the voice is outside and the feeling comes from outside, then we are free to reject them. I’m not suggesting that it will be easy, just that we do not own the panic nor are responsible for it.
I am not one to suggest that we should address the voices. That seems as though it would open us to easy manipulation. No, we should talk with Jesus. To Him, we can acknowledge that the voices are telling us things that cause fear and pain. Then we can ask Him to remove any power those voices have and give us comfort concerning whatever has come into our minds.
I thought I made that up. WCS stands for “Worst Case Scenario.” I didn’t make it up, though. It is actually referred to as a syndrome online. It means “catastrophic thinking.” Ok, I’ve been there.
You know what I mean. Something happens and almost immediately your mind goes to the “what-ifs.” All kinds of ideas begin to roll in your head. Most of them are bad, maybe all of them. Some of them are outrageous, at least other people seem to think so. But, you know, what if?
Some people suggest that this catastrophic thinking is a learned response or even a genetic response to confusion, perhaps designed to prepare us for negative situations. Preparing ourselves for danger seems like a good thing.
Suppose you are driving and you see a car moving slowly on the shoulder in front of you. You begin to think about what might happen. This happens very quickly. If you panic and swerve away from the car on the shoulder, you might pull into the path of someone in the next lane. That would be a bad thing. If you just keep a little closer eye on the car on the shoulder in case it begins to move your way, and you look to see how you might avoid it if it should pull out into your lane, you might avoid trouble. Planning is different from worrying.
The 3AM worry time is so common in our culture that there are many theories to explain it. I’ve heard that it comes from normal sleep patterns, that it relates to high cortisol, and that the devil is awake and active at that time. Whatever causes us to wake in the middle of the night to begin to entertain disturbing thoughts, it seems to be almost universal. But I don’t see it as helpful.
One thing about that time period is that we are unable and/or unwilling to do anything about the problems our mind presents. We are too tired, the people we need are trying to sleep, our options are limited. So, we just stay in bed thinking. The more we think about the problem, the harder it is to get back to sleep. The harder it is to get back to sleep, the more we think about the problem. The what-ifs grow into unreasonable proportions. The catastrophic thinking seems to have no normal restraints. Monsters grow at 3AM.
I usually get up or read a while when that happens. I pray and give the problem to the Lord. I ask Him to show me what I need to do about it when I have the opportunity to do something. For the most part, that works for me. I know others write things down because writing them forces us to look at the monsters logically. Some get up and take a small dose of melatonin. Whatever works, I guess.
But where do those ideas come from? I certainly don’t want to think about them. I really don’t think the Lord has an interest in tormenting me in the middle of the night. Am I really that worried and just need to work things out when I can’t think of anything else? Probably not. No, I think something else is happening.
I read something interesting. An article suggested that waking up in the middle of the night was often caused by a sleep cycle coming near to a waking time, but the timing was not a normal time to get up. So, the disorientation that came from it still being dark and the silence of the night caused a moment of panic. That panic motivated us to look for the danger…and the voices provided one or more dangers for us to think about.
Panic, even the momentary impulse that comes from waking in the dark, seems to make us vulnerable to negative ideas that come from our past or the world around us. Then, because we are vulnerable and our normal defenses are compromised, our reasoning through on the problems becomes flawed. The monsters, which may not exist at all, become real and terrible. Small worries become large. Confusion becomes fear. Hurts become attacks.
In the light of day and reason, almost all of the problems we face at night either go away or shrink to a manageable size. We fear that we have forgotten something very important, but in the morning we check to see that we did it already. Or we realize we can still get it done without penalty. Or the penalty isn’t that bad. The harsh words that came our way, the criticisms that we felt, can be understood and mediated in the light.
The voice that brings you the fearsome and unsolvable problem in the middle of the night is not the voice of the Spirit. Yes, there are rare times when the Spirit might move you in a dream, but that is both rare and positive. And the visions that the Scriptures talk about are almost always during times of intense prayer, not sleep. The Spirit is not a tormentor.
So, that’s an important clue that should help us deal with these catastrophic thoughts. Are they from the Lord? If not, then we should step back from them. The panic that grows in us is not a helpful response to the problem. Instead, we must take these things to the Lord. He relieves our burdens, comforts our souls, walks with us through our troubles, and delivers us from danger. All of these are promises.
I continue to write stories for children in the series “Alric and the Prince.” I thought this one, which is unpublished and not fully edited, might fit well with our current theme. So, this is something different for the blog which you might enjoy. In fact, you might find it helpful.
When you are worried
Alric woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t go back to sleep. He didn’t want to wake his mother, so he just stayed in bed. In a few days, he was going to work with a man who built things out of wood. He would be using hammers and saws and other tools. Alric was not sure he would do well with that work.
As he lay in his bed, he began to think about all the different things he had tried to build. He made a box for his mom once, but it fell apart quickly. He made a special toy to give to the prince, but it turned out ugly and didn’t work. He had tried to make things that would help in the house, but they were not very nice. More and more, Alric thought he wouldn’t do well with the builder.
In the morning, Alric’s mom noticed that he seemed tired. “Didn’t you sleep well?” she asked.
“Not really,” said Alric. “I woke up when it was still dark and couldn’t get back to sleep.”
“Were you worried about something?”
“Well, I guess. What if I’m not good at building things? What if the builder thinks I can’t do the work?” Alric shook his head. “What if I break something or make something wrong?”
Alric’s mom said, “Well, that’s why you have to learn. No one is good at something without learning. It takes time and practice to make nice things.”
“I know,” said Alric. “What if it takes me too long?” Since he was done eating, Alric went outside to do his chores. His mom just let him think. He was getting older and had to work some of these things out on his own.
But, as the day with the builder grew closer, Alric was not doing better. He still had trouble sleeping, and he didn’t feel like talking.
When word came from the palace that the prince wanted some time with Alric, Alric’s mom agreed quickly. She knew Alric might not want to go, but she also knew that the prince knew just when Alric needed him.
As Alric got ready to leave to see the prince, his mom said, “Alric, ask the prince if he has seen any waddeffs lately.”
Before Alric could answer, his mom went back into the house. Alric walked all the way to the palace wondering what a waddeff might be. He thought it was some kind of small animal or maybe a certain plant that had thorns. Alric didn’t know if he should be worried about waddeffs or not. But the prince would know.
It was always so good to go to the palace and play with the prince. As Alric grew older, he and the prince talked more. They might walk the paths in the palace woods or try to catch frogs or count how many of a certain bug they saw. After a bit, Alric remembered his mother’s question.
“My mom wanted me to ask if you had seen any waddeffs lately,” Alric said. “I don’t even know what a waddeff is,” he added.
“No, I haven’t seen hardly any,” said the prince. He looked around like he was looking for a waddeff. “I hear of them. Lots of people talk about them. But I don’t see many.”
“Are they bad?” asked Alric.
“Not always,” said the prince. “But most people only think about bad ones. They don’t usually remember a good waddeff.”
“But what are they?” asked Alric.
“Most waddeffs don’t even exist,” said the prince. “They aren’t real. People just think they are real, and they get worried. They look one place and think they see a waddeff. Then they look a different place and think they see another. The more they look for the waddeffs, the more they worry—and the more they worry, the more they think they see waddeffs.”
By this time, Alric was looking all around. He could see things moving, or at least he thought he saw things moving. “Should we go back inside the palace?” he asked the prince.
“No, Alric. You don’t have to be worried. There are no waddeffs here.” The prince smiled, but didn’t laugh. He didn’t want Alric to feel bad. “You see, waddeffs are things you make up to make yourself worried.”
Alric stopped walking. “But I don’t make things up so that I will worry. Who would do that?”
“Almost everyone does that,” said the prince, “and they really don’t have to. Let me give you an example. When do you go to work with the builder?”
“In just a couple of days,” Alric answered.
“And what have you been thinking about that?”
“Well,” started Alric, “when I am in bed at night, I do get worried about that. Sometimes I wonder what if I do a bad job or what if I don’t learn fast enough.”
The prince laughed, “There’s two waddeffs right there!”
Alric looked around. “Where?”
“You were just thinking of them,” said the prince. “Waddeff you do a bad job? Waddeff you don’t learn? Those are waddeffs!”
Alric closed his eyes. He started to laugh. “And waddeffs aren’t real?”
“Almost all of them are just ideas, just things to make you worried,” said the prince. “Once in a while, a waddeff will start to look real, but you have a chance to do something about it. Only very rarely does a waddeff ever show itself. Waddeffs are very good at hiding and pretending.”
“So what should I do when I think I see one?” asked Alric. He was beginning to understand.
“First, you call it by what it is, a “waddeff.” Then you remember that very few waddeffs are real. And, finally, you remember that the King and I are always watching out for you. We will help you to avoid the waddeffs. If one does turn out to be real, we will be there to help you deal with it.”
“So I don’t have to worry about the waddeffs anymore, right?” Alric had a big smile.
“That’s right! Almost all of them aren’t real, so you don’t have to worry about those. The few that might be real, you can trust us with.”
“Did my mom talk to you about this?” Alric wondered.
“Your mom talks with me a lot. The King and I always hear. That’s true for you also. You might not see us, but we hear. And, Alric, we always love you.”
If you are interested in more stories about Alric, the first book can be found on Amazon here. The second book will be out before the end of the year, and a third is in process.
When this blog began, it was meant to focus on the general battle between legalism and grace in the local churches. I had encountered so many broken and confused people who desired a joyful life in the Lord only to find their walk troubled by comparisons, rules, and guilt. “Grace for the Heart” began over 20 years ago as a ministry to call out to and encourage those who just wanted more of Jesus. They were worn out from all the “work” of the faith, but didn’t want to give up on Jesus. There was a better way, a right way, and I wanted to help them find it.
At the same time, I began to work more with people who had encountered the dysfunction known as narcissism in their relationships. Some were married to narcissists. Others grew up in narcissistic homes. Some worked for narcissistic bosses. Others found themselves in churches led by narcissists.
What I discovered was that many of those who struggled against legalism were the same people as those who struggled against narcissism. They not only grew up with narcissistic parents, but also attended narcissistic churches. They not only married narcissists, they were involved with narcissistic ministries. All of this was subtle, but the connection could not really be ignored.
The two prongs of this “devil’s fork” have allowed a lot of words of teaching and encouragement over the years. The current theme of the various voices that speak into our lives comes from both sources. Both legalism and narcissism find their power by speaking into the lives of their victims.
And those messages work because they resonate with older voices that have paved the way. In other words, the legalist and the narcissist tap into judgments and shame that already exist within us. From the earliest words of our parents, to the comparisons we made in school or community, to the internal explanations of our failures, we were already open when the manipulative work of the legalist or the narcissist began.
The world, the devil, and even the flesh all tap into these old injuries and fears as well. The voices have no power except when they resonate with what we already believe about ourselves. Then they take advantage of that familiarity to worm their lies into our hearts.
When the narcissist tells his date that no one appreciates her like he does, she already believes at least part of what he says. She is already convinced of being unloved or unworthy. That gives him opportunity to convince her that he is different from others. His lies are more easily accepted because she wants to fill that void she has been feeling.
When the legalist tells his listeners they are lacking in certain “spiritual” things, they are usually well-prepared to accept his message. They feel the shame of their sin and weaknesses. They already see themselves as inadequate. So, they accept his teachings of new rules, new standards, new disciplines because they want to be rid of those feelings.
The only way to overcome these voices is to hear the truth of God’s love and grace in Jesus. When you finally accept that you are accepted, you can stop giving the manipulators and abusers access to your heart.
God loves you. Knowing all that you have done and will do, He loves you. Knowing your weaknesses and your past, He accepts you. That’s why Jesus came for you. He asks nothing of you which He will not give you. He forgives you. He heals you. He accepts you.
My first church was certainly a training experience, much like the lion’s den was a training experience for Daniel. But I did learn. Some things I even remember.
I received word that a young man in the congregation was having a relationship with a married woman who was also in the church. Her marriage had been difficult for a while. He was a talented but troubled man, given to drinking to calm his mind and allow him to vent his anger. The small town seemed to know everything that was worth knowing, or at least worth gossiping about, so this indiscretion was almost public knowledge.
I was the pastor. I was supposed to do something.
I drove to his house not knowing what to expect in response. He had only been at the church for a few months, and I didn’t really know him. Nor did I know what to expect from someone who had a drinking problem. Would he reject me? Would he turn violent? What could this cost me? My anxiety grew.
As I turned down the street to his house, I was almost overwhelmed by my thoughts. In my mid-twenties I had very little experience, but even today I am not sure how I would approach the situation differently. I stopped the car and prayed.
One thing was clear: this was something I had to do. The Lord wanted me there. I didn’t plead to get out of it, but I did want to be sure. After all, people in this town shot each other. If I was to be a victim, then I wanted to know this was God’s will.
And, again, I felt I had no choice. I could turn around and go home, but the situation and my responsibility would remain. So, I went to see him.
The story is almost boring from that point. He welcomed me into his home and understood why I was there. He confessed both his sin and his regret. I prayed with him, and he found forgiveness. The forbidden relationship ended, and the town had to find someone else to talk about.
Now, somewhere over the past decade, I have told that story here before. It sticks in my mind and heart. It stands as a point in my life that I am supposed to remember, a time when I yielded to the Lord and did what I was told to do.
It wasn’t easy. Nor was it fun. It just had to be. I had to go through it. And, as far as anyone else was concerned, it wasn’t about me. The Lord confronted the man. The Lord forgave him. It was about Jesus and him. Not about me. But I certainly benefited from the lesson.
And, frankly, it wasn’t the last time I had to do something hard, something I really didn’t want to do. Some people enjoy confrontation. Not me. Maybe I’m a little chicken, cowardly. Probably. But I do remember that the Lord carried me through that one.
And He will carry you through. You may not want to do what He is asking. You may not like it. You may find all kinds of reasons not to do it. But you will, simply because your Lord is asking.
St. Augustine is credited with the prayer, “Give what you command and command what You will.” Augustine understood that the Lord has the right to ask us to do or bear things, but he also understood that the ability to do or bear the thing must be given to us by Him. In other words, God will not ask us to do something we cannot do because he will give us what we need to do it.
Someone more recent said, “God does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called.” He does not ask us to be something more than we can be, He allows us to walk with Him as He does His work.
For nearly all of my ministry I have focused on the principle that God does His work. He does not expect us to do His work. He is the Initiator, the Planner, the Worker. And He deserves all the glory.
All He asks of us is that we keep our focus on Him as we walk with Him through our days.
In my last post, I wrote about following the Lord “without hesitation.” I’m sorry. Hesitation is a mark of humanity. We consider it wise to think before we act.
I remember having to learn certain equations before getting my driver’s license. How long does it take to stop the car at 30 mph? How long at 60 mph? And, if it takes two seconds for the danger ahead to register in your mind, how far have you traveled in the meantime? These facts were probably not as important for us to memorize as was the message that you can travel a long way between the time you see brake lights and you actually stop. It takes time for us to think.
Law enforcement folks have to be trained to act very quickly while reasoning out the information they are given. If someone moves a certain way, is there danger? If there is danger, how should you respond? If you pull your weapon, what will be the consequences? Any hesitation may increase the risk, but the idea of training is to overcome that hesitation.
Hesitation is thinking. You are supposed to think.
So, when the Lord speaks to you, you will almost certainly hesitate. You will want to know that it is His voice. You will want to be sure you are hearing His will clearly. You will want to know how and when you should act. All of that takes time. Hesitation is normal.
And, let’s be honest, we really are not that comfortable with hearing the Lord’s voice. Sometimes He surprises us. Sometimes we are confused as we try to sort out what we have heard from Him. Sometimes we really don’t like the idea. So, we hesitate.
I have been trying to find a Scripture hero who didn’t hesitate. Some of them argued with God. They simply didn’t want to do what He asked, or they found it hard to believe what He promised. I suspect that we have those stories because that is the normal response. Perhaps not the best, nor the preferred, but the most normal.
Now, I want to be careful. There may be a time when the Lord wants you or me to act quickly and, as I suggested, without hesitation. But He will give us the ability, the faith, to do that. We can trust Him. And, I think, He will patiently give us the training we need to trust Him quickly for those times.
Usually, hesitation is a normal part of the equation. Don’t let me or anyone else make you feel guilty for your hesitation. You answer only to One.
Grace for my Heart 