Hearing God's Voice
This year for me as a rookie leader was great and tough all at the same time. One of the areas I wish to do better in is slowing down and investing all my heart in quieting the noise and hearing God's voice. My goal is to create sacred spaces where I refuse to allow interrupting thoughts a foothold in my mind.
Lately, I have been pursuing a dream that I have had from a young age. As I struggle between whether I should invest time and money into something that is not so "safe" I have been reading the book of Judges. One of my favorite passages is about Gideon hearing God's voice in the overwhelming currents of fear. The first time Judges records that God spoke to Gideon and Gideon heard His voice was when the Angel of the Lord came to Gideon. Gideon was threshing wheat in the wine vat because there was fear the Midianites might take the wheat (Judges 6:1-12). The first thing God tells Gideon was an affirmation about His presence--"The LORD is with you..." (v.12). Even in the midst of Gideon's precautions and fear-filled task, the truth of God's presence was the first thing God had to remind him of. Oh, what an amazing confidence builder when we begin to remember, "The Lord is with you!" The Psalmist says, "in Your presence is the fullness of joy" (Ps. 16:11). Lately, I am working on meditating on this truth...Brandy, the Lord is with you.
After, God reminds Gideon of His presence, he tells a truth that Gideon may not have felt at the time, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior." God tells Gideon who he is. From this I glean that the awareness and appreciation of our identity is only rooted in the truth of God's presence. Self-identity without the presence of God promises an ever-wavering and ultimately diminishing confidence. At this point in the narrative, there is not much to suggest that Gideon is a mighty warrior; but God's true assessment of Gideon is what stood. Am I aware of God's constant presence and is my heart fully assured of His assessment of me even when I struggle to see it? When my confidence hits the ebbs and flows of life will I rest assured of these truths or allow them to hide behind the clouds of fear and the crippling hesitation of "not yet"? In this non "safe" journey that I have begun, will I quiet the noise and focus on hearing God's voice? May it be so.
Lately, I have been pursuing a dream that I have had from a young age. As I struggle between whether I should invest time and money into something that is not so "safe" I have been reading the book of Judges. One of my favorite passages is about Gideon hearing God's voice in the overwhelming currents of fear. The first time Judges records that God spoke to Gideon and Gideon heard His voice was when the Angel of the Lord came to Gideon. Gideon was threshing wheat in the wine vat because there was fear the Midianites might take the wheat (Judges 6:1-12). The first thing God tells Gideon was an affirmation about His presence--"The LORD is with you..." (v.12). Even in the midst of Gideon's precautions and fear-filled task, the truth of God's presence was the first thing God had to remind him of. Oh, what an amazing confidence builder when we begin to remember, "The Lord is with you!" The Psalmist says, "in Your presence is the fullness of joy" (Ps. 16:11). Lately, I am working on meditating on this truth...Brandy, the Lord is with you.
After, God reminds Gideon of His presence, he tells a truth that Gideon may not have felt at the time, "The Lord is with you, mighty warrior." God tells Gideon who he is. From this I glean that the awareness and appreciation of our identity is only rooted in the truth of God's presence. Self-identity without the presence of God promises an ever-wavering and ultimately diminishing confidence. At this point in the narrative, there is not much to suggest that Gideon is a mighty warrior; but God's true assessment of Gideon is what stood. Am I aware of God's constant presence and is my heart fully assured of His assessment of me even when I struggle to see it? When my confidence hits the ebbs and flows of life will I rest assured of these truths or allow them to hide behind the clouds of fear and the crippling hesitation of "not yet"? In this non "safe" journey that I have begun, will I quiet the noise and focus on hearing God's voice? May it be so.
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