Living a Spirit Led Life

Hearing from God in Everyday Living

Kathy Myers

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Word of the Day: Nurture

The Invitation: My brother, the gardener, visited last weekend. He has a greenhouse, raised garden beds—and the green thumb in the family. It’s early spring, and he’s watering the seeds he planted in his greenhouse, waiting until they’ve matured enough to move to the beds. The greenhouse seeds take a lot of care. If he ignores them, it’s back to square one and starting over.

This thought came to mind as I asked the Lord why it seems I’m continually starting over in changing certain thought patterns. How does worry creep in—again—when my desire is to trust God? Perhaps fear becomes larger than faith, or I step into the fixing mode instead of waiting on God. It’s different for all of us.

At first, it takes a lot of nurture to change thought patterns. Daily practice. Then the transformation takes root, and the maintenance is occasional. Just as I marvel at the new blossoms of spring, I marvel when I realize the new way of thinking has become the regular way of thinking. I reap the fruit of nurture.

My brother can’t put a seed in a seedling pot and hope it will grow, and I can’t grow a new way of thinking on hope alone. I must nurture it with prayer, practice, and perseverance. Are you willing to nurture one new thought pattern this spring? If so, perhaps this summer you’ll realize a new way of thinking has become your regular way of thinking—and marvel.

But the seed in the good soil,
these are the ones who have heard the word with a good and virtuous heart,
and hold it firmly, and produce fruit with perseverance.
—Luke 8:15 (NASV)

Try it out: Lord, Your ways of thinking are what I want to hold firmly in my mind. I ask You to weed out any mindsets that don’t line up with Your Word and plant new seeds of truth. Then show me how to nurture the truth with perseverance through prayer and practice.

Lord, if I have a pattern of thinking that needs to be replaced with Your way of thinking, reveal it to me.
(Any thought that is tied to “things will never change,” “I’m not enough,” “God has forgotten me,” etc. are like weeds that need to be pulled. Take time to listen.)

Lord, what do You replace that thought with? What is the truth as seen in the Bible?

Show me what it looks like to weed out the old pattern of thinking and plant a new seed?
Then show me how to nurture the seed so it will grow and become my regular way of thinking.

Now, tell me why it is important to persevere in this place, and what will grow from nurturing this new way of thinking.

But the seed in the good earth—
these are the good-hearts who seize the Word and hold on no matter what,
sticking with it until there’s a harvest.
—Luke 8:15 (The Message paraphrase)

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Word of the Day: Good

 

The Invitation:  Despair, doubt, and death? How could those have anything to do with a good day? Yet the day Christ was crucified is called Good Friday.

It looked as if God was dead. And physically, as man, He was. It looked as if Jesus was not the Messiah, the One who was to save His people. The healings? The hope? The heart-changes? Had it all been a fraud? And then He said, “It is finished.” What did He mean?

The disciples went back to fishing. They were finished with the Jesus chapter of their lives. How could they have been so misguided? Confusion, self-doubt, and fear for their lives. For three days.

It’s only in hindsight we call that Friday good. For Jesus overcame sin and death and made the way for us to be with God for eternity. The most valuable gift we can ever receive was birthed in the midst of betrayal, torture, and isolation.

We can’t compare our difficulties with what Jesus went through. But may we choose to look at every circumstance with God’s perspective, believing that in three days or three years we will see that God worked good in our lives. May we live with the hindsight of the disciples, knowing the love and power of God. And may we share the good news with others.

Good Friday? Yes. For through the death of Jesus, God brought us life—eternal life—and a personal relationship with our heavenly Father. No matter what’s going on in our lives, this is a good day—a day of promise.

To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, 
a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. 
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks 
that the LORD has planted for his own glory.
—Isaiah 61:3 (NLT)

Give it a Try: Jesus, thank you for enduring the pain and humiliation of the cross. Thank you for trusting Your Father in the midst of crisis, and thank you for all the good that came out of that Friday long ago. Specifically I want to thank you for:  ______________________.

(Take a few moments to be still. Reflect on all Christ gave you. Remember He is for you.)

(If there’s a place in your life that looks or feels impossible, continue praying.)

Lord, I bring this impossible situation to You. On the cross, you already did what is needed to bring healing and restoration. But will You give me Your perspective or a promise to hold on to today? What do You say or reveal to me? (Take some time to listen in God’s presence.)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but to save the world through him.
—John 3:16-17 (NIV)
 
 

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What If I Lived in the Present?

Page 6: What If. . .

Then Simon Peter, who had a sword,
drew it and struck the high priest’s servant,
cutting off his right ear.
(The servant’s name was Malchus.)
Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away!
Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”
—John 18:10-11 (NIV)

“Drink the cup the Father has given me” jumped out as I read the verses in John. When this happens, I know it is God speaking to me through His Word. So I asked, “God, what do You want me to know?”

I sensed Him inviting me to look at how Jesus lived, not only in this scripture, but throughout His life. So, I in turn, invited the Holy Spirit to enlighten me! *

Your list may look different than mine, but here are a few things that encouraged and challenged me:

  • Jesus lived in the present, doing the next thing in front of Him.
    —He healed Malchus’ ear (Luke 22:50-51).
    —He spoke truth without judgment.
    —He was willing to do the hard things.
  • Jesus lived in the present, with an eye on the future.
    —He didn’t ask, “Why me?” He accepted what was.
    —He knew the end of the story: God wins.**

When I live in the present, I’m not focused on regrets, how I thought things would be, or what I wish would happen. I just do the next thing. I make the phone call, offer a helping hand, ask the hard question, or pray.

I plan for the future, but I don’t live with a mindset of things needing to change before I’ll be okay. I live each day, knowing my future is eternal life with Christ. I partner with God in the simple or difficult things before me, believing they will make a difference in others knowing the love of Christ.

Fear not tomorrows, child of the King,
Trust them with Jesus, do the next thing
Do it immediately, do it with prayer;
Do it reliantly, casting all care;
Do it with reverence, tracing His hand
Who placed it before thee with earnest command.
Stayed on Omnipotence, safe ‘neath His wing,
Leave all results, do the next thing.
—Author unknown, but popularized by missionary Elisabeth Elliot

Try it out:

Pray: Lord, You modeled living in the present. You listened to the Father, You watched what He was doing, and You joined Him. I want to do the same. No matter what the cup-of-the-day holds, I want to be willing to drink it. Increase my belief and trust that You work all things together for good for those who love You (Romans 8:28).

Lord, from the What If? message today, what is one thing You want to personalize for me?

Does anything in my thinking need to change?
How do I live this out?
Show me how You’ll be present with me today.

Take time to respond to God. He has overcome the world. And He is present in your world.

* John 14:26
** John 16:33 (“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”)

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Word of the Day: Whisper

The Invitation: It’s been almost a year since our lives were turned upside down. A year without the usual ways to encourage our faith—in-person church, Bible studies, retreats, hugs, coffees—without some of the common activities God uses to speak to us.

Where was God in the midst of the pandemic, riots, politics, social distancing, and cancellations of events? Did you see Him or hear Him in new ways? Or was He hard to find? Were you ever surprised at how God showed up–or didn’t?

 “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told (Elijah).
And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by,
and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain.
It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose,
but the Lord was not in the wind.
After the wind there was an earthquake,
but the Lord was not in the earthquake.  
And after the earthquake there was a fire,
but the Lord was not in the fire.
And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.  
When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak
and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
—1 Kings 19:11-13 (NLT)

Elijah was surprised by how God spoke to him. Our powerful, majestic God revealed Himself to Elijah in a whisper. One-on-one so that only he could hear. Up close. Personal. And Elijah paid attention.

I think it was the year of the whisper for me. Sometimes I sensed God’s presence right away. Other times I looked back and realized where God had been and how I grew in knowing who He is. We don’t need to remember every detail about this past year, but we do need to remember how God showed up and carried us through a difficult season.

Let’s ask God to reveal a time He whispered during this season. Maybe we were aware of it, or maybe discouragement blocked us from hearing His quiet words. Perhaps we just didn’t recognize Him. Let’s go back

Try it out: Lord, I’m here, waiting for Your whisper. Open my spiritual ears and senses to Your voice. First-of-all, will You whisper my name? (Pay attention to what His whisper says about how He sees you. If nothing comes to mind, ask Him to whisper your name a few more times.)

• Lord, during the past year, whether I was aware of it or not, what is one thing You whispered to me about who You are?
• Where were we when You whispered this?
• Whisper it again to me.
• (Give God a few minutes to whisper anything else that’s on His heart for you, then respond to Him in prayer.)