For the last 30 years or so, I’ve attempted to listen to, obey and follow the voice of God. I have never heard it audibly but I have had it for only impressed upon my heart and mind. I have actually been a believer for over 40 years, but I got serious about my faith in my early 20’s.
It’s been a long road, and I’m still a pilgrim in the process, but I’ve learned a few things along the way. These are based totally on my personal experience.
Here are 7 things I’ve learned about following God:
I’ve never been able to see very far down the road. God seems to keep me from seeing all the details in advance. Sometimes I get a clear vision of a big goal God has for me, but I usually have no clue at the time how to get there.
The road for following God has never seemed to be easily paved. I assumed if I was doing things “His way” things would go my way. But, just being obedient doesn’t always remove the obstacles. This has always required faith. Thankfully, without faith it’s impossible to please God.
There have often been several options available of “how” to proceed towards what God is calling me. God seems to give freedom in the way I complete His plans. I’ve even made mistakes and watched Him redeem them.
I have been tempted to quit. How is that for honesty? When life is hard my faith is sometimes weak. I’ve learned God doesn’t give up – people do. I do. But, God is faithful even when I am not.
Satan is the great disrupter. And, he is crafty. The enemy stirs conflict with other people, stretches resources and tempts battles within my own mind.
God’s voice can be discerned. It’s so wild! The Maker of the universe is willing to let me hear from Him – even on the darker days. The more I know God and the closer our relationship, the clearer I hear His voice.
God calls people to impossible tasks. What’s impossible for me is possible for God. Praise His name! God brings eventual completion to His work – in His time.
Have you had similar experiences? I’d love to learn from and be encouraged by you.
What have you learned or experience about following God?
One other thing I is I can be myself with God. Sometimes when I go through a trial God sends my way. I look up and say “Lord, I just love this what I’m going through.” I say that because he tells us to consider it pure joy in our trials and tribulations. I know it’s sarcastic thing to say. BUT God knows me and my heart.
Some of my learning / experiences about following God:
— It is more important to be be authentic than being awesome. God looks at our heart.
— Life is not to be wasted on judging others. (Instead love them. You will see God's goodness)
— It is always easy to get tempted to please people; But, often we fail to regognize the importance of pleasing God
— Developing realtionship with God is a two way process. But, we are more concerned about His part and comfortably forget about our part in the entire process
I love the more “authentic than awesome” comment.
Twitter: kmac4him
says:
I totally agree! God does the same with me, gives me enough for the 1st step and then from each moment to every choice, I am depending on Him! I really like the story of Jonah and from Jonah I have learned that the best thing I can do is not matter what, make the 1st Choice one of obedience, because God will bring me full circle to the same place with the same instructions. I also think it is pretty cool that the greatest revival in the history of mankind was made by a leader who was given a second chance at obedience, and Who stepped alone on pagan soil with only a few words given by God and saw a whole nation come to God! AWE-GOD! This incredible account inspires me to make the right choice 1st and to follow after God, listening and completely obeying Him, because He’s Got This!
Jonah is one of my favorite Bible stories.
Thank you Ron for posting this today. I am at that place in # 5 and 6 above. I am physically, spiritually and emotionally tired. I needed to read that others get that way as well. I feel a million miles away from other Christian people who love and serve the Lord. It is good to hear that someone that has been walking with the Lord for a number of years gets to this place as well.
I will say that a lot of times music and Praising God is how I get out of these places and what keeps me going. Sometimes it is harder to get to that place than other times.
Thank you Cindy. Praying for you now.
I'm praying for you right now.
A fantastic list. An encouraging list. Thank you for sharing. In the greatest obstacles point – I've found that "resources" might be part of the mental battle . . . and part of faith. Jehovah Jireh!
Oh those multiple options are a struggling point for me often. Yet, even in those struggles, I take heart that God is a waster of no thing. What may seem as a wrong choice (nothing tangible came about for "me" or "my call" – but it may be that God used my presence on the journey to nudge another closer to him. I was the rooster to someone's Peter (and I'll probably never know)
I continually am reminding myself that "It's a God thing" isn't just the BIG things – but ALL things (even the tiny).
Thanks for another provoking post:-)
Thank you for the confirming comment
These are great thoughts too. Thanks for sharing them.