Your mind has been running wild. You feel out of control and chaotic and isolated.  You’ve been pursuing the Lord and ardently listening, but you’re paralyzed with fear that you’re going to miss God’s will.

I find myself there too often.

My obsession with God’s will can impede my pursuit of God. When my pursuit of God is rooted in discouragement, fear, and insecurity, it conflicts with the spirit God placed in me.

God has not given you a spirit of fear.  He has given you a spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

I get fixated on discerning the “right” answer and forget the grace of a God that knows me and wants me to know and walk closely with Him.

I forget that I know my Father’s voice.

It’s only because of God’s infinite grace that I know God, and His Spirit lives in me.  In light of this grace that prompts my pursuit of God and my time in His Word, I can be confident in approaching God and discerning His voice.

I know when He tells me not to do something. I know when He moves me to action. Often times, He prompts me to be still.  Even when He is silent or I am uncertain about what He is saying, I can peacefully trust that He is ever directing me as I wait for Him to confirm the steps I’m taking.  I don’t have to be insecure when I hear a voice that does not sound like God because I will not follow the voice of a stranger. I remain confident as I study God’s Word, and I know God’s voice aligns with His Word.

But this confidence does not rest on us and our ability to decipher the “right” answer.

It rests on Christ’s perfect love.

Christ’s perfect love drives out the paralyzing fear that we’re missing or misunderstanding God.

God’s grace that prompted your pursuit of God is the same grace that empowers you to discern God’s voice.  That same grace covers any risk that you may be misunderstanding what God is or isn’t saying or any misstep that follows.

I want to encourage you to shake the fear that is causing your spiritual paralysis.

You, dear one, have the mind of Christ. The same voice that spoke this world into existence. That called you from death to life. The voice that calmed the raging sea. That raised Lazarus. The one that said go in peace and be free from suffering. That voice that proclaimed it is finished.  The one that sings over you.  The voice that calls you by name and leads you out. The one that promised it is with you always.

You know that voice.  That voice is in you. You will follow that voice.

You’ve been crippled by chaos and fear. But you will not miss the Father’s voice because you know, have, and pursue Him, and His grace covers that pursuit.

“Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:6-7 (NKJV).

“This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:17-18 (NIV).

“The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” John 10:3-5 (NIV).

“For what person knows the thoughts and motives of a man except the man’s spirit within him? So also no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the [Holy] Spirit who is from God, so that we may know and understand the [wonderful] things freely given to us by God.  We also speak of these things, not in words taught or supplied by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual thoughts with spiritual words [for those being guided by the Holy Spirit].” 1 Corinthians 2:11-13 (AMP).

“But the spiritual man [the spiritually mature Christian] judges all things [questions, examines and applies what the Holy Spirit reveals], yet is himself judged by no one [the unbeliever cannot judge and understand the believer’s spiritual nature]. For who has known the mind and purposes of the Lord, so as to instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ [to be guided by His thoughts and purposes].” 1 Corinthians 2:15-16 (AMP).

 

The starbucks chile mocha is my latest obsession. It’s got a kick to it that arguably rivals grandpa’s cough medicine. 😉

Much love to you,

Paige