Sometimes, it is hard to clearly hear the voice of God in this life. Maybe you can relate to this situation… this distraction… this encumbrance to following God in pure child-like faith. Maybe you have never tried. I can honestly tell you that there are times that it seems as if God is very very quiet in my life. All the other competing voices become like static in my mind – utterly distracting. Oh, and before you think that I am “losing it” or developing a mental condition, allow me explain the premise a bit more.
Ok, consider this… you are wrestling with spiritual decisions. I mean, things like purpose and direction, what God’s will is for your life – all the deep stuff. You really want to arrive at the right decision but:
- You start out by thinking things over on your own… in that quiet space in your mind. You try to think through things rationally, logically. After you think you have it “kind of” figured out, you bring your spouse into the discussion.
- Then, you decide you had better reach out to a friend or possibly a trusted minister. Hopefully, they will validate what you want to do… especially if you ask the right source. You know what I mean.
- Then, you decide that you had better get serious about what God might have to say on the matter. You start to pray about it and maybe even search the scripture for relevant spiritual direction. However, down deep, you are a little afraid that God’s will may not line up with your own. Yes sir, you might as well get real about where this is going.
So, the obvious mistake that many of us make is to clutter our minds with selfish predetermined ideas, the voices of friends, and cherry-picked spiritual counselors – before we even sincerely ask God what He thinks about things. We work much harder at building a case for what we want to do before we pour ourselves out at the feet of the Creator God. If you are not sure what I mean about “pouring yourself out” before God, it is hard to describe… you have to have done it to fully understand the concept.
What motivates your decisions – money, prestige, popularity, power over your peers, or some warm fuzzy feeling? How about serving the world, voluntarily taking second place to others, or abiding in the perfect will of God? My goodness, there are so many reasons, so many motivations, so many voices to listen to along the path to “the best” decision.
Are you seeking direction? Do you need guidance? Who can you trust to give you the best advice? I contend that you should start with God – first. His opinion about right and wrong, perfection vs expediency, common sense vs divine direction – is best. Let me leave you with one verse of scripture to think about:
Who has your heart?
