Listen To God
So Jesus told them, “I am not teaching my own ideas, but those of God who sent me. Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own. Those who present their own ideas are looking for praise for themselves, but those who seek to honor the one who sent them are good and genuine.” -- John 7:16-18
Have you ever made an unpopular decision? Have you ever done something that you know is right but that someone else doesn’t agree with? Most of us have probably faced down unpopularity at some point in time. It isn’t fun.
A few months ago a young woman I know made a painful decision. She didn’t make it on a whim. She prayed and sought God’s counsel. Her decision broke a young man’s heart and really caused a fuss. But it was the right decision for her.
She had tons of doubts in the weeks that followed. But slowly her confidence grew. God blessed her decision and led her down a different path. She looks back and knows with certainty that her decision was the right one and the one God chose for her.
Sometimes that’s how decisions go. Someone gets hurt. Someone doesn’t get what they want. And aren’t they critical and in a snit because of it? I get that. I do. Anyone would be upset when they’re denied what they want.
In a different life, I was a controversial editorial writer. I loved pushing people’s buttons. It wasn’t so much the controversy I was after. I wanted people to think about issues. It’s just too easy to say what everyone else says and to believe what everyone else believes. It’s a lot harder to step out, have a different opinion, take a different stand, make a different decision.
A few years ago I decided against having a booth at the local art festival. It was a really unpopular decision, especially since they’d used photos of my art in their publicity campaign. I couldn’t explain why other than to tell the truth: God didn’t want me to do it. Funny how people, including Christians, really don’t buy into that.
What made it worse was that I really needed the money I would likely earn at the show. I begged God. I pleaded. Still, His answer was no. I obeyed Him, though I wasn’t really happy. At least, not right then. I was quite happy with God when bad weather caused the show to be canceled for the first time in its history. Yeah. God knew what He was doing. I was so grateful that He’d warned me and, for once, I’d had the good sense to listen and do what He said.
Following God isn’t always easy. It isn’t always popular. People frequently don’t understand. But it really just comes down to faith and trust in a God who is all-powerful and who loves you and me beyond anything we could every imagine. He’s looking
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