THOUGHTS ON THE LORD’S DAY
”Living from victory to victory or, crisis to crisis. The choice is yours.”
Why do some people seem to live life from crisis to crisis? Well, it’s stimulating for one thing. You can’t get bored when all your energies are concentrated on fixing the current crisis. And, you won’t have to think about your own pain because you’ll be focused on the problem at hand.
I get nervous around two kinds of people. Those who never hear from God and those who are always hearing from God. Never follow a leader who seldom hears from God but is constantly listening to everyone around him. Never follow a leader who is always hearing God’s voice, but seldom listens to those God has sent to help Him.
It is not only possible to hear God’s voice, it’s essential. Especially if you want to live a life with margins and not go from crisis to crisis. Given the pace and pressures of life, you can easily lose your sensitivity for His voice in the roar of so many other voices.
Fifteen times in the New Testament Jesus said, “He that has an ear, let him hear.” There is no more critical component in your life as a disciple than hearing the voice of God. However, that voice must be confirmed through His Word and tested by the mature saints He brings alongside you.
Matthew 11:15 tells us three very important things. First, we are born into God’s family with spiritual ears. It’s our job to train them to hear. Second, we must learn to use them to discern wisdom, not just take in information. Third, hearing God’s voice and understanding His message must be our top priority.
Newborn babies soon recognize their mother’s voice. However, it takes time to understand the communication. Both require time and intimacy. Luke 24:45 says, “Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures.” God is always speaking through His Holy Spirit who lives on the inside of us.
When you move from only seeking God’s voice in times of crisis to hearing His voice as a way of life, you will stop living a crisis-driven life. And, you will start living a life filled with margins that only hearing from God can create.