Living a Spirit Led Life

Hearing from God in Everyday Living

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Word of the Day: Backwards

The Invitation: “Tell the women they can live in perfect peace,” I sensed the Lord saying when I asked what to share at a women’s event.

“How is that possible?” I questioned, not wanting to speak words I didn’t always live out.

“By living life backwards.”

Not knowing what that meant, I prayed, “Lord, tell me more.”

I sensed the Holy Spirit taking me on a life journey in my imagination. But it didn’t start with my childhood. It began by viewing myself living in the fullness of the promises of God that will be mine in heaven. I sensed total joy, contentment, and peace. Then I saw my current life circumstances through the lens of what is coming, and I realized how that changes my view of things now. Living life backwards made sense.

Practically, if I’m worried about having enough finances, I remember the streets in heaven are paved with gold. If I am worried about health issues or death, I remember He is our Healer and has already overcome death. As I practiced this way of thinking, I couldn’t find anything to worry about that God has not promised to restore and make new.

Let’s give it a try. Take a few minutes and imagine:

  • You know you’re going to come into great wealth and it will cover every need you can imagine. There is nothing you lack to live comfortably, with more than enough to share with others.
  • Your health is completely restored and you have ample energy, wisdom, and time for everything you need to do.
  • You are with those you love without worry of loss or separation.
  • There is internal and external peace and harmony in every area of your life.
  • This is your destiny. This is your destination. This is heaven. Imagine what it’s like.
  • Now look at a current situation in your life with this mindset.
  • Ask the Lord for His perspective. What have you been missing? What is the Lord’s heart? What does He have in store down the road?

What did God show you when you looked at life backwards? When I imagine life from this viewpoint, I think, What am I so afraid of? The Lord is making provision for everything. He’s got this!

It can be a challenge to believe the promises of God, but they are there. They are real and they are available today. Imagine the peace-of-mind you would have if you actively trusted God to deliver on His promises.

You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], Because he trusts and takes refuge in You
[with hope and confident expectation].
–Isaiah 26:3 (AMP)

Your Response: Lord, what would it look like for me to trust and take refuge in You today, full of hope and a joyful expectation of good? Show me one way I can live my life backwards.

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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.)


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What if We Weren’t Afraid of Missing Out?

Page 5: What If . . .

The fear of missing out has become so commonplace that it now has its own acronym: FOMO. We’re afraid of missing out on great opportunities, the right timing or relationship, the chance of a lifetime, popularity, making a difference—the list is long. But it’s the same old lie, the same old story. It’s Adam and Eve in the Garden (Genesis 3:1-7).

Perhaps God wanted Adam and Eve to develop maturity before knowing about good and evil, and as a protection, told them not to eat from that one tree. In the Garden, they had everything they needed. God was their companion and would lead them through each day. But instead of obeying God, they decided to judge for themselves what they should do. They listened to the serpent, believed a lie, and had the first earthly case of FOMO. They were afraid of missing out.

Today the lie is fueled by serpents in the form of the media, advertising, comparison, and discontent. The sources are endless. Instead of fearing we’re missing out, what if we lived with the firm belief God is caring for us? What if we implicitly trusted Him in all things, at all times, in all ways? What might life be like? Let’s explore this idea.

Take a moment and imagine:
You are in the center of a giant garden. Everywhere you look there is lush beauty and provision. Four rivers flow through the garden, each watering the land and contributing to the abundant splendor. The garden is described as paradise, a place of bliss and delight. It is your home.

Everything you need to sustain your life and well-being can be found here, and everything in the garden is available to you. Everything, except for one tree. The generous Giver-of-Life has asked you not to eat off the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. For if you do, you will die—the purity of your soul will be tainted.

You are content and satisfied with life in paradise and can’t imagine not willingly agreeing with your Creator. Life is good. Every need you have— physical, emotional and spiritual—is being met. You trust and delight in your Creator and the companion He has given you. You live free, covering nothing.

One day, you encounter a creature who questions you about the Giver-of-Life. You try to explain what God said and did not say. The creature questions you again, placing doubt in your mind. Confusion enters in and you wonder if God is holding something back from you? Are you missing out—being deprived of the exquisite looking fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Are you limiting yourself by not eating it? And besides, did God actually tell you that you’d die? Why would He say that?

So you eat. You offer your companion a bite. And your eyes are open to things you didn’t need to know. You are embarrassed by your nakedness, and shame seeps into your soul. You cover your body. You cover your heart. You hide from God. And you begin to die. The safety you felt in His presence is gone. You’re embarrassed to see Him. Where can you find rest for your soul?

Try it out:

Listen to God: Take a few minutes and compare the difference you sensed in your well-being at the first of the story and then at the end. Ask God at which point in the story you live in most days. Take time to listen.

Think about it: It’s the same old story, the same old lie. Did God really say that? Is He keeping something good from me? Am I missing out? Imagine if you trusted God and chose to believe He always has your best interest in mind. What if you stopped wondering if you should judge for yourself? Just imagine…

Return to rest, O my soul,
For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.
–Psalm 11:7

Pray: Lord, forgive me for not trusting You, for wondering if I’m missing out on something in life. I’m constantly bombarded with opportunities, possibilities, and seemingly good ideas. Lord, is there an area where FOMO is robbing me of Your ways and Your peace?

(If something comes to mind, ask the Lord what He has to say about the situation. Next ask what needs to change in your thinking or actions. Then respond to Him.)

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What if We Forgave Ourselves?

Page 4: What If . . .

Why is forgiving ourselves more difficult than forgiving others? We condemn ourselves, thinking we should have known better or been stronger, wiser, or less selfish. It’s as if we leave the door open for the tormentor, Satan, to point his finger and whisper, “Shame on you,” over and over. Why do we sometimes believe the lies of the enemy more than the Truth, Jesus?

From my life and through prayer ministry, I’ve seen that the expectations we place on ourselves are often unrealistic. We recognize mistakes we made and the consequences to ourselves or others and can’t let them go. We think we should have been able to control outcomes or fix situations and tend to blame ourselves for things we didn’t see coming.

Some people are distraught over things they did out of desperation or before knowing God’s ways. Abortion, cheating, deception, adultery—the list is long. Yes, we have consequences, but even after we repent, make amends if needed, and ask God for forgiveness, sometimes we still live in shame. We need to forgive ourselves.

I’ve needed to have the same compassion towards my younger self—the one who knew about God but didn’t know Him—as I have toward others. I’ve had to remember that the only perfect person who ever lived is Jesus, and not be surprised at my imperfection. I’ve needed to forgive myself for words I spoke, perhaps yesterday, that sounded judgmental or were insensitive. I apologize, allow someone to tell me how my words or behavior affected them, and let them know what I would have liked to have said or done if I could do it over. Then I forgive myself.

I’m saddened by the number of people who hold their younger selves captive to judgment. For example, a woman I prayed with could forgive her father for abusing her over and over as a little girl, but she couldn’t forgive that little girl for both hating what her father did, but craving the attention he gave her. She was ashamed of the little girl’s enjoyment of feeling special or needed.

A prayer model we can use as we pray for others and ourselves is to imagine the younger self in conversation with our adult self. With this woman, I asked her to picture the little girl at the age the abuse was taking place along with her adult self. Then we invited Jesus into the prayer picture and she asked Him to show her how He saw her younger self. Jesus revealed the little girl’s confusion, pain, and longing to be loved and safe. The woman’s heart for her younger self broke. In prayer, she spoke, 

  • Younger (or Little) (her name), I see how scared you are. I see you are defenseless and wronged by the man who was designed to guard and protect you. I’m so sorry all that happened to you. 
  • Younger (her name), I set you free from the judgments I’ve held against you. I forgive you for not knowing how to change the situation and for enjoying the attention.
  • I forgive myself for the hatred, shame, and unforgiveness I’ve carried towards my younger self all these years.
  • Jesus, what do You say and do? (Then take time to listen and watch in prayer.)
  • Jesus, how will You use this for good in my life (Romans 8:28)?

In each situation, Jesus does something different. In our prayer picture, He may initiate a group hug or walk away holding our younger self’s hand to go be with Him, but at the same time coming to us and setting us free from the shame and weight of the unforgiveness we’ve carried.  He showed this woman how she had been given extraordinary compassion for children and an ability to love in difficult situations.

We are not the exception to the gift Jesus gave when He died on the cross. We are forgiven. It’s time to forgive ourselves. Then we are free to love and serve others more whole-heartedly.

If we humbly confess and acknowledge our terminal selfish condition,
he faithfully and rightly forgives us for all the mistakes we made
while living in selfishness; but more importantly–
he heals us from all corruption, decay, and sickness of heart and mind. 
–1 John 1:9 (The Remedy paraphrase)

Try it out:

David, God’s anointed king over Israel, lied, committed adultery, and had a man murdered. Yet God called him a man after His own heart (Acts 13:22). How could that be? David repented, dealt with the consequences of sin, and kept going back to God. He knew he was far from perfect, but he continually pursued the only One who is. 

As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, 
O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. 
When can I go and meet with God?
–Psalm 42:1-2 (NLT)

Pray: Lord, I come to You for Your perspective, insight, and heart. You are the only One who can satisfy the deep longings in my heart. I want to live in freedom—forgiving others as well as myself. Show me, Lord, if there’s any place I’m carrying unforgiveness toward myself.

(Take time to listen. God will reveal it if there is.) 

(If something comes to mind, go through the prayer exercise above, adapting it to your situation. Be sure to take time to listen to God. He is the Healer, Restorer, and Priest. Allow Him to minister to you.)

Lord, You called David a man after your own heart. What do You call me?