Saturday, March 17, 2007
PART II Warning signs
(scroll down to the next post to read part I)
I have a friend in my life, Diana, that I call when I want TRUTH. I mean I need RAW TRUTH. I call her because I know she has already been in her prayer closet that morning and she's not only prayed but she has studied God's Word. More than likely, she has even prayed for me. If she calls me, I know it's for something. When she tells me that she feels a certain way about something, I take it very seriously because I trust her with my life. When I was twenty years old, I met her at the church I was going to. She was about ten or eleven years older than me and she did a great job of taking care of "Mandi". She is one of the few friends that refers to me with that name. All of my family calls me Mandi but she is the one friend that does too.
Okay, so back to my friend Diana. Diana is an unbelievably strong, Godly woman. So if she tells me to jump off a bridge, I think I would pray about it. That's how much I trust her. Not too long ago we were discussing the voice of God. At the time, I had a situation going on in my head that I had not shared. I had been feeling a strong urge to send an email and tell an old friend how special they were to me. But there was a problem. The person I wanted to send the email to was no longer a part of my life. We were no longer friends. But I felt like I needed to let this person know that I found value in them. I tried calling this person before and I did not get a returned phone call so my flesh was afraid of rejection. My mind kept telling me to NOT send an email. I thought it would not be received how I wanted it to and I figured she would not respond. It seemed that every single night I was having dreams about this person. No matter what I did, I could not shake it. So as Diana and I discussed hearing God's voice, Diana said something that totally fit to my situation. She did not know what I was dealing with but what she said was what the Lord needed me to hear that day. "Mandi,if you have a strong sense inside your spirit to call someone or send them an email, you do it. The enemy is not going to tell you to do something nice or do something in order to seek peace or forgiveness in your life."
Well, that afternoon I prayed for the words to write in an email to my former friend. I know with every fiber of my being that God told me to send her an email. In fact, I believe that He did the typing for me. He gave me the words, the attitude and the love in my heart for this person. My flesh tried many times to stop me. "Don't send her an email. She hurt you. She said bad things about you. Don't waste your time. She hates you!" And so on and so on and so on. After sending the email, I felt a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders. I was obedient. I listened to what the Lord was telling me to do and I obeyed. It's been several months and the old friend did not respond. I know she saw the email just like I know she got my phone call and the message I left with her husband. I pray that she has forgiven me. I had not forgiven her and the unforgiveness was stinking up my life in a big way. But when I did what I was supposed to do, the Lord gave me a love for her. Now I miss her and I think about her often. I think about what a blessing she was to me and I know how much she truly loved me.
I knew God was telling me to do something but I fought it pretty hard. Then He used Diana to bring confirmation. My delayed obedience was disobedience. I was afraid of being rejected so I didn't do it until I heard Diana say what she did. Nothing changed expect one thing. I listened to God and I did what I was supposed to do and I was blessed for it.
Looking back I know what God was doing. There was a lot I needed to let go and a lot I needed to seek healing for. It was a warning sign for me.
Even though she did not respond, I did the right thing. Even though she did not reciprocate, I did the right thing. I am free! And there is no greater way to live than FREE!
The point is, we sit around sometimes way too long trying to figure it out. Sometimes it's pretty darn simple to hear what God is telling us to do. What may seem small to some, sending an email opened my heart to so many things. In fact, my husband and I are getting ready to step out in the biggest, deepest waters yet! We know it's of God and we know it's the right decision. It's a good thing AND a God thing! But I truly believe that if I would not have let go of some of my pain from the past, I would not be prepared or ready for the blessing we are about to receive.
I don't know about you but I want to receive what God has for me. I want to hear His voice and be protected. I want to hear His voice and be blessed! I want to hear His voice and know what the right thing is. I need His direction, His counsel, His wisdom and His guidance every step of the way. If I am not paying attention, if I am not walking in HIS ways, I can't hear Him. It's impossible! But when I am walking closely by His side, I can hear Him. When I hear Him, I can align myself with His ways and sit in the center of His will. Otherwise, the result is pretty plain and simple, cut and dry, black and white! I miss out on what He has for my life.
“He who is of God hears God's words;” John 8:47
I have a friend in my life, Diana, that I call when I want TRUTH. I mean I need RAW TRUTH. I call her because I know she has already been in her prayer closet that morning and she's not only prayed but she has studied God's Word. More than likely, she has even prayed for me. If she calls me, I know it's for something. When she tells me that she feels a certain way about something, I take it very seriously because I trust her with my life. When I was twenty years old, I met her at the church I was going to. She was about ten or eleven years older than me and she did a great job of taking care of "Mandi". She is one of the few friends that refers to me with that name. All of my family calls me Mandi but she is the one friend that does too.
Okay, so back to my friend Diana. Diana is an unbelievably strong, Godly woman. So if she tells me to jump off a bridge, I think I would pray about it. That's how much I trust her. Not too long ago we were discussing the voice of God. At the time, I had a situation going on in my head that I had not shared. I had been feeling a strong urge to send an email and tell an old friend how special they were to me. But there was a problem. The person I wanted to send the email to was no longer a part of my life. We were no longer friends. But I felt like I needed to let this person know that I found value in them. I tried calling this person before and I did not get a returned phone call so my flesh was afraid of rejection. My mind kept telling me to NOT send an email. I thought it would not be received how I wanted it to and I figured she would not respond. It seemed that every single night I was having dreams about this person. No matter what I did, I could not shake it. So as Diana and I discussed hearing God's voice, Diana said something that totally fit to my situation. She did not know what I was dealing with but what she said was what the Lord needed me to hear that day. "Mandi,if you have a strong sense inside your spirit to call someone or send them an email, you do it. The enemy is not going to tell you to do something nice or do something in order to seek peace or forgiveness in your life."
Well, that afternoon I prayed for the words to write in an email to my former friend. I know with every fiber of my being that God told me to send her an email. In fact, I believe that He did the typing for me. He gave me the words, the attitude and the love in my heart for this person. My flesh tried many times to stop me. "Don't send her an email. She hurt you. She said bad things about you. Don't waste your time. She hates you!" And so on and so on and so on. After sending the email, I felt a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders. I was obedient. I listened to what the Lord was telling me to do and I obeyed. It's been several months and the old friend did not respond. I know she saw the email just like I know she got my phone call and the message I left with her husband. I pray that she has forgiven me. I had not forgiven her and the unforgiveness was stinking up my life in a big way. But when I did what I was supposed to do, the Lord gave me a love for her. Now I miss her and I think about her often. I think about what a blessing she was to me and I know how much she truly loved me.
I knew God was telling me to do something but I fought it pretty hard. Then He used Diana to bring confirmation. My delayed obedience was disobedience. I was afraid of being rejected so I didn't do it until I heard Diana say what she did. Nothing changed expect one thing. I listened to God and I did what I was supposed to do and I was blessed for it.
Looking back I know what God was doing. There was a lot I needed to let go and a lot I needed to seek healing for. It was a warning sign for me.
WARNING:
I CANNOT USE YOU WHEN YOU HAVE UNFORGIVENESS
OR HATE IN YOUR HEART.
DO YOUR PART IN THE SITUATION.
OBEY IMMEDIATELY!
Even though she did not respond, I did the right thing. Even though she did not reciprocate, I did the right thing. I am free! And there is no greater way to live than FREE!
The point is, we sit around sometimes way too long trying to figure it out. Sometimes it's pretty darn simple to hear what God is telling us to do. What may seem small to some, sending an email opened my heart to so many things. In fact, my husband and I are getting ready to step out in the biggest, deepest waters yet! We know it's of God and we know it's the right decision. It's a good thing AND a God thing! But I truly believe that if I would not have let go of some of my pain from the past, I would not be prepared or ready for the blessing we are about to receive.
I don't know about you but I want to receive what God has for me. I want to hear His voice and be protected. I want to hear His voice and be blessed! I want to hear His voice and know what the right thing is. I need His direction, His counsel, His wisdom and His guidance every step of the way. If I am not paying attention, if I am not walking in HIS ways, I can't hear Him. It's impossible! But when I am walking closely by His side, I can hear Him. When I hear Him, I can align myself with His ways and sit in the center of His will. Otherwise, the result is pretty plain and simple, cut and dry, black and white! I miss out on what He has for my life.
“He who is of God hears God's words;” John 8:47
Labels: listening to God
Part I Warning signs
PART ILate last Summer my Mom and I, along with the kids, traveled to Port Arthur/Beaumont to visit my grandparents. Just a year earlier the area had been tragically hit by hurricane Rita. Thankfully my grandparents home did not suffer much damage but my great-aunt and uncle's home was close to being totally destroyed. As we drove into Beaumont, I noticed an electronic/computerized sign by one of the highway exits. It quickly caught my attention.
WARNING:
HURRICANE SEASON HAS ARRIVED.
MAKE SURE YOUR GAS TANKS ARE FULL AT ALL TIMES.
In Dallas, where I live, we do not suffer the effects of a Hurricane. Maybe some strong thunderstorms and a little high wind but nothing like those living near the coast. After seeing the sign off the highway, I got to thinking about the people that live in those towns and surrounding areas. Come September of every year, I think I would be a little nervous. After what happened almost two years ago, my awareness of hurricanes has definitely heightened. While I never personally saw the effects of Hurricane Katrina, I did come face to face with the aftermath of Hurricane Rita. Even after a year, Port Arthur and Beaumont continued to suffer. My husband and I also traveled to Cozumel, Mexico for a vacation and what Rita did there was unbelievable. Cozumel was so ravaged that it did not even look the same from when we went two years earlier. Because of the recent, horrific hurricanes, anyone that lives in an area where a hurricane may have the slightest chance of hitting, the people are warned and they prepare for the worst.
The warning sign off the highway, was clearly used by the Lord to later speak to me about my own life and hearing His voice. Growing up in church, I have been taught to heed the voice of the Lord. I have been taught and I have also learned for myself that often the Holy Spirit will put a check in my spirit or a feeling in my gut to warn me about a relationship, situation or anything else that may bring pain or danger to my life or my family's. Just yesterday I had a thought come to my head. "Ava Beth-Bunk bed." I thought of Josiah's bunk beds and how she copies everything her big brother does and how it could be dangerous for her to climb up to the top. I got up, hurried to his room and found them BOTH on the top of his bunk bed. She's two years old, skinny, dainty and petite. A fall from the bunk bed would not be good. Josiah broke his leg when he was two years old after falling out of a swing. Therefore, I am more aware of how fragile their bones are when so young. The thought of the bunk bed and Ava Beth on top was 100% without a doubt, the Holy Spirit. It's usually our first thought, that's what I know to be true for me. So I pay attention, close attention. When the Lord gives me discernment, I follow through.
The warning signs are important. I have met people in my life and instantly felt something inside of me that says, "BE CAREFUL." Sometimes I have heeded the warning, sometimes not. I have also sat back and watched others make choices that I knew could be dangerous or detrimental to their life. Unfortunately, you can't always go to a friend or a loved one and say, "BE CAREFUL, this person you are involved with is not good for you, you could be hurt. You may not see it now, but you will find out later." Sometimes I feel things very deeply, so much that I can almost see it happening. I know it may sound weird to some, but I know that I have a very strong gift of discernment. The Lord did not give me that gift to abuse. He gave me that gift to be an intercessor and stand in the gap for people that I love.
I truly believe that we can walk so closely to the Lord that we KNOW when something isn't right. If we are walking in the spirit, we know when someone is lying to us. Call me crazy but I know when someone is lying to me, IF I am walking in the spirit. We can also know when someone is trying to hurt us and/or know when someone is hurting and needs prayer. Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night with someone on your heart? Have you ever had someone on your mind for days and don't know why? Or what about dreams? I have actually had dreams about people, nothing bad necessarily, and woke up with a strong urge to pray for them. Only to find out later, they needed prayer at that moment.
I have learned and I am still learning that if I walk in the spirit (meaning-stay in the word, stay in prayer, keeping my mind fixed on HIM), He truly will direct my paths and speak to me. This past week I had someone very close to me on my mind. She is a precious friend and I love her dearly. I have not been able to get her out of my mind. I called her and she was hurting. She needed some encouragement. She needed some love poured all over her by a friend that cared.
It's so important to pay attention to those things. And it can be done without living in fear. Just because you have a thought come to your mind, it does not mean DANGER is coming. Sometimes you have to pray about it before taking action. The longer and longer we walk beside HIM, I believe we learn when and how to take action. I KNEW I was supposed to run into Josiah's room to check and see if Ava Beth was on the bunk bed. I have also known when people come into the church that may bring pain to the Pastor or to the congregation. It's not my job to go and reveal my feelings or thoughts. I have to pray about them first and pray for protection. When I do that, I have often watched them figure it out for themselves. Or sometimes I haven't prayed and watched it unfold badly.
Hearing the voice of God or having discernment is not a special power. It's a gift. It's a gift we should all seek. Often we make hearing His voice too difficult. We confuse our own with His or we mistake a good thing for a God thing. And just because it's a good thing does not mean it's a God thing! Hearing His voice does not have to be as difficult as we make it. We know that the enemy is not going to send thoughts that would bring protection, comfort, encouragement or ANYTHING that is pure and true. We also know that GOD will not send us thoughts of fear, worry, or anything that is not pure and true.
It's like my Mom always says, "Listen to your GUT Mandi! Always listen to your gut!"
Labels: listening to God
