Who Said That?

 

I believe I’ve been nudged by the Lord to have what I think will be a very difficult conversation with someone. How hard is this going to be? Only as hard as I make it. I must remind myself that whatever God gives me to do He also provides the ability for.

I will trust Him for timing and words and I can proceed with confidence because I am sure that it is His instructions to speak that I am following. Does that sound cocky? Can we really know when God gives us an assignment?

At one point, not all that long ago, I was making a decision that I was sure God had led me to — another one of those nudgings. I prayed and prayed. When I let my decision be known, someone I respect challenged me that I might be listening to Satan and not God. That thought had not occurred to me and it made me question the decision that I was sure God had led me to. I spoke to my husband who was also sure I was on the right path. Still, just to be sure, then he and I sought counsel from Christian friends who have been walking with the Lord a lot longer than we.

Those wise friends said that Satan would not call me to anything that would honor God or promote Biblical thinking (I was sure He wanted me to continue teaching but in another location.) They also told me to compare with scripture the way I had received the push to make the change. Low and behold, God had spoken to many people in scripture as He had spoken to me. I was feeling better.

Then, as I was doing some Bible Study, God gave me verses that confirmed for me that I was headed in the right direction. He reminded me of John 10:4 that says (speaking of Jesus) “He goes before them and the sheep follow Him because they know His voice.” I kept reading and verse 5 was even better. “A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” (I try to keep Satan in the stranger category.) It was all I needed. I made the change and I had what the Bible describes as the “peace that passes all understanding.”

God has left His children with the Holy Spirit and He will lead us to the things He has for us – and we’ll know and follow His voice. That doesn’t mean that all He calls us to will be easy. I am not looking forward to this “chat” I need to have but I will do it because I have a heavenly Father who will get me through any work He leads me to do for Him. I also know that the loving thing to do in this situation is to speak the Truth in love.

Is God calling you to do something you’re not sure is from Him? Pray first. Then, check it with scripture. Does it go against anything God says in His word? Speak to a godly friend; get wise counsel. Sometimes an objective viewpoint sees things that we can’t when we’re in the midst of a difficult decision. If you’re married, consider your spouse as that person; he knows you well.

And then, make the decision. If you don’t have peace about it – rinse and repeat.  Pray.  Go back to God’s Word.  If you do have peace, rest in the assurance that you have followed the voice of the Good Shepherd.

John 10:27, ” My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”