Living a Spirit Led Life

Hearing from God in Everyday Living

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What if I stopped trying to figure everything out?

Page 7: What If. . .

Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them….
When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”
Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?
You must follow me.”
–John 21:20-22 (NIV)

I don’t know about you, but I keep trying to figure things out. Why are they doing that? What’s going to happen? I have a lot of questions. But I just want to understand, I tell myself, then try every angle I know to make sense of the irrational, confusing, tragic, or unexpected circumstances that come up.

Thinking this way isn’t wrong, but when it is my focus, anxiety creeps in and poisons my sense of peace and well-being.

What is the antivenom to this poisonous way of thinking? Trust. Being certain that God’s character is good. Believing He is at work and He watches over me and those I care about. Holding loosely to the unknowns instead of demanding an answer to regain my false sense of control. Letting go of my longing to understand.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all you ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
–Proverbs 3:5,6 (NIV)

I realize I want understanding and I want peace, but often they don’t walk hand-in-hand. When I choose to trust God, He leads me on the right and good paths of life. He brings a peace which transcends human understanding, a peace that guards my heart and mind in Christ Jesus and results in a wave of well-being. This is how I want to live. A life of surrender and trust in the One who is trustworthy.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
–Philippians 4:6,7 (NIV)

Try it out…

Lord, is there any place I’m experiencing anxiety due to my desire to figure things out so I can hang onto an illusion of control?

What would it look like to exchange this desire for trust?

How can I trust You today in practical ways?

Lord, Thank you for being trustworthy and working all things together for good for those who love You and are called according to Your purposes. I choose today to put my full, complete trust in You.

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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: Comfortable

The Invitation: I like to be comfortable. I like to know what I’m doing, feel confident in my abilities, and have a clear sense of direction moving forward. When I wander too far off the comfort path, I am tempted to turn back to what is familiar. I’ll stop pursuing the dream or possibility—the very thing my heart desires—because uncertainty and the unknown make me nervous.

My heart’s desires often reside in the unknown, and wandering into that territory requires trust. New circumstances, challenges, and opportunities will require me to listen to the Holy Spirit and follow His leading. I know the Lord leads me to freedom—healthier relationships, living more like Jesus lived, and no fear. But my self-talk promotes comfort and can be quite persuasive.

Thankfully, the voice of Freedom is not swayed and continues to challenge me to believe and act on scriptures that bring liberty. Staying comfortable has a great cost. Will I choose freedom even though I won’t always be comfortable? Yes.

 At last we have freedom, for Christ has set us free!
We must always cherish this truth and firmly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past.
–Galatians 5:1 (TPT)

Give it a try: Lord, I desire freedom over comfort. I want to cherish the truth ,and I refuse to go back into the bondage of the past. Lead me into places that require me to trust in Your goodness and kindness. I’m willing to leave me comfort zone.

Is there a place in my life where I am choosing comfort over freedom—over how You’re calling me to live?
What is it costing me?
Show me, from Your perspective, what freedom looks like in this place.

(Respond to the Lord. Will you come into agreement with Him? Will you give it a try?)

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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)