Tag: listening

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When They Just Don’t Want to Know

The Manna Chef

Why is it that when someone is suffering, everyone assumes that it is punishment as a result of sin?  People spend a lot of time trying to figure out your situation and often come to the wrong conclusions.  John 9:1-7 gives us an account of Jesus healing a man who was born blind.  Even the disciples thought the blindness was a result of sin (either the man or his parents).  Jesus assured them that no one had caused the blindness:  God allowed it so that His glory would be on full display.  That’s right; some of the tests that you encounter are simply to allow God’s glory to be seen in your life.  When challenges arise, it’s not always because you’ve done something wrong.  The enemy berates us and tries to make us think that God is on His throne waiting to beat us down.  But that is not the God we serve.  He is not just going about trying to find people to punish.  Sometimes He puts you on display for His glory to manifest.  He actually chooses you for some tests and has already given you the victory.  You just need to trust Him and obey.

John 9 continues to paint the picture of how the people reacted to the man who was healed:

8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some claimed that he was.

Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”

But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”

10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.

11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”

Now, these folks had known him all his life, but for some reason, they seem to have trouble believing that his condition has changed.  Believe it or not, some people would rather you stay in a state of distress and brokenness than to see you delivered.  Instead of celebrating the miracle, they were too busy trying to figure out how he was healed.  The man told them about Jesus.  That’s what we should do without hesitation; point them right to Jesus.  But, be warned…not everyone will celebrate your miracles and blessings. 

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It’s Bigger Than You

The Manna Chef

Sometimes life can seem so complicated that you feel like you’re in this thing all by yourself.  Everywhere you turn, there is a hurdle to jump.  You ever find it hard to catch your breath because so much is going on? 

There was a time when life seemed so overwhelming that I just wanted to give up; not on living, but in ministry.  I felt like I was becoming stagnant.  I was pouring out so much, but very little was being poured back in.  I didn’t have balance in my life.  I was doing the best I could; but I was on “empty.”  You know what?  People will use you up if you allow them to do it.  I was pretty much exhausted and I was becoming bitter.  And I’m talking about in ministry and in life.  I wanted to throw in the towel; it had become too much. 

But the Holy Spirit was right there in the midst of all of my challenges.  He listened to me vent and then He checked me.  I don’t know about you, but the Holy Spirit doesn’t coddle me.  I don’t have many of those tender, sweet moments when it comes to me basically complaining to God.  He listens and then gets on my case.  I describe it to my friends like He has me in the boxing ring, tearing me up!

The Spirit of God reminded me that although I do have a choice, there is really only one choice to make if I want to receive the promises of God and be who He designed me to be.  I have to be obedient to Him and stay centered in His will.  We have to learn how to position ourselves to receive from God. My life belongs to Him, so I’m here to do His will.  That’s the bottom line for me.

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Where Are You Looking for God?

The Manna Chef

Have you ever felt all alone, as if no one really understands where you are or what you are going through?  We all have at some point, right?  The enemy is quick to try to isolate us from the flock to make us vulnerable.  He feeds on these thoughts, because if he can get us to entertain them, he doesn’t have to worry about defeating us; we’ll defeat ourselves.

Sometimes the storms of life can seem overwhelming.  Tests and trials are loud and seem so powerful.   Our own emotions can be deafening.  It can be difficult to even hear the voice of God, especially when so many other things have our attention.  But sometimes we’re simply focused on the wrong thing, looking for God in the wrong place.

1 Kings 19:11-18

Elijah had an experience when he felt the very same way.  He had just won a victory on Mt. Carmel, where God proved that He is the One and Living God.  There was no question of God’s Omnipotence, and Elijah was on a spiritual high.  And immediately after the victory, Elijah found out that Jezebel wanted to have him killed.  He was afraid and disheartened—to the point of wanting to just die.  Talk about depressed! (Right after a major victory too) Elijah was weary and wanted his life to end, and God met him right where he was.  An angel came to Elijah and told him to “arise and eat because the journey is too great for you.”  There are two lessons in that simple instruction.

  1. Arise—to come into being; to ascend; to begin at a source; to get up from sleep or after lying down. In other words, change your position.  We all have moments when we feel “down and out,” but they are only meant to last a moment.
  2. Eat—nourishment is necessary to sustain us, physically and spiritually. We must feed ourselves with the Word of God just like we feed ourselves food.  Eating brings the energy necessary to complete the task.  I Kings 19:8 says that Elijah “went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God.”

Elijah ended up in a cave, feeling sorry for himself.  He felt like he was all alone and was still afraid of Jezebel’s threat.  But God was patient with Elijah, just as He is with us. 

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