Doing the right thing is hardly ever easy. Ask Jesus (Matthew 26:39). It can be looked down upon, misunderstood, and even hated (cancel culture).
Obviously nothing that we do will ever compare to the weight of Jesus’ decision to die for us, but this week we’re going to dive into what it looks like to hear from the Holy Spirit and to carry out our God-given assignment.
All of us have decisions to make. What to eat for dinner, what time to leave for work, how close can I push this to the last minute; the fun stuff. Then we have the “pro” decisions. Should I stay in this relationship, should I deny that promotion to keep my time with my family, or the one that I’m starting to get quite used to, “was I wrong?”
As a follower of Jesus I have come to realize that the longer you walk with Him, the more uncomfortable your decisions get. Some of you may be at a “do I believe that for myself?” decision, or a “what are they gonna think?” decision.
The Bible is overflowing with examples of people who go against the grain, for better or for worse. Jonah hated the people that he was called to minister to, and wanted to see them get what they deserved (Jonah 4:3). Peter was scared of what others thought about him, and in turn led people astray (Galatians 2:11-15). Paul decided that nothing was going to stop him from doing what Jesus called him to do (Acts 20:24; 2 Corinthians 11:23-27).
What we see from these few examples show us that our obedience to God carries weight. We also see that our disobedience carries just as much if not more. I don’t know who this is for, but your “yes” matters. Your decisions may not always turn the world on its head in the natural, but they always change things in the spirit. I understand that what the Holy Spirit is calling you to do is probably difficult, but that’s the joy of following Him. You get to appreciate the ups & downs that come with belonging to the Father (Romans 8:28).
I want to encourage any of my brothers and sisters reading this. People won’t always agree with you on what God told you to do, and that’s okay. That doesn’t make them your enemy. If you have a decision that you believe God’s calling you to make, big or small, here are a few tips to help you best discern if the Holy Spirit’s leading you to do it.
“Does this line up with the Word of God?”
“Is the Holy Spirit repeating Himself when I ask for an answer?”
“Do I have peace about this?”
Those are just a few among a plethora of others, but for the sake of the topic, here’s one more:) If God keeps setting off an “alarm” in your spirit, that’s a good indicator too.
Jesus never said life with Him would be easy. When we as the body of Christ begin to carry out our own assignments though, we’ll experience the supernatural ease of Jesus’ yoke (Matthew 11:29-30).
Be blessed, be encouraged, and know that when you give your yes to God, He will take you to a place that’s greater than you ever knew. Follow Through.