this is the way — walk in it

how do we know it’s God’s voice enough to walk in it?

Yes, it blossoms in a lifestyle of searching His word, listening prayer, transparent fellowship with other believers. As we get to know Jesus in His Word, His presence, and in His people, we learn to recognize His Spirit’s voice guiding us. But just hearing Him means nothing until we also live out the word we hear. Unless we train ourselves to chose Christ’s way in our conversations, behavior and relationships, we won’t grow in hearing God’s voice.

Daily we chose the way of God’s word, even if it’s the more difficult road….

• An employee faced with a choice of lying for her boss, or losing her job
• A parent deciding whether to attend the much-anticipated and deserved night out, or staying home to support a son who just lost his best friend to cancer
• Someone blaming or brushing responsibility onto others, rather than owning it himself
• Anyone under pressure to compromise her godly values…

The more difficult road is this:
Choosing the Lord’s way and not our own way.
Nailing ourselves–our longing for human acceptance, respect and comfort–to His cross.

Instead of wasting energy on protecting ourselves, we have the freedom to gaze on our Savior’s face, in His presence and word of truth and wisdom, beauty and grace. In this place of liberty, the confusion falls away. In this place of rest we hear God’s voice behind us saying, “This is the way. Walk in it.”

With all that self-protective baggage gone,
we have the space to hear His voice.

Yes, it makes us vulnerable. We risk judgement, rejection or mistreatment from others. But the Father has given all judgement to His Son (not to those others), and He is safe. Terrible in power, but safe for our ultimate good and His glory. With His love satisfying the cravings of our soul, we no longer crave or strive for human love. All we see, all we hear, all that matters, is our beautiful Lord. We want to be like Him, so we follow His way.

Scripture support and meditation: Joshua 24:15; Isaiah 30:18-21; Luke 9:23-37; John 5:19-24; John 12:23-26; Philippians 2; James 1:19-27