But the Father will send the Holy Spirit to be with you.
He will be your Helper. He will come in my name, and he will teach you all things.
He will help you to remember everything that I have told you.
John 14:26 Easy English
It never fails to bring me joy and amaze me just how much Jesus cares about my day-to-day life. The things that fill my day and fill my mind are of concern to Him. He chooses to concern Himself with the things that concern me, be it small and seemingly inconsequential things or the bigger things that change the trajectory or the quality of my life. For example, I have a small garden of succulents that have been struck by a disease. Some have died, some are dying and some are sick and in need of help. I was concerned about losing them all, and so I prayed. It gave me peace and hope that Jesus would heal them.
This is a relatively small issue yet Jesus’ response about my succulents was just as timely, tender-hearted, considerate, and as reassuring as His response was when I prayed about my mother’s health. She has been unwell and I was worried. The moment I prayed for her, His peace washed over me and I received assurance that she shall be well. What a good friend I have in Jesus! Last week, I was taking stock of my finances and quickly realised I wasn’t going to be able to do all the things I was planning and hoping to do. Without even having to consciously pray about it, Jesus reminded me of a Bible verse I’d posted a few days earlier:
Even to your old age and gray hairs
I am He; I am He who will sustain you.
I have made you and I will carry you;
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
Isaiah 46:4 NIV
I felt God saying to me, “I will sustain you. I will carry you.” What a good Father God is! He knows my hopes and dreams. He knows my worries and cares. He knows my plans, but more importantly, He knows the plans he has for me, plans for a future and a hope, plans to prosper me and not harm me (Jeremiah 29:11). Earlier today, I was praying about a big and important decision. I was feeling a little apprehensive and was aware that I’d been placing pressure on myself to move forward and take a step. So, I was praying for guidance. I was praying that I would make the decision based on His purpose and plans for me and not out of fear or desperation or whatever pressure I was feeling.
I felt that still, quiet voice that I have come to know and love so much say, “Soar. Spread your wings, daughter.” It reminded me of the Bible verse in Isaiah 40:31:
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
they shall run, and not be weary;
and they shall walk, and not faint.
What an amazing encourager, guide, and comforter the Holy Spirit is! Where would I be without Jesus? For He is a sustainer, an encourager, a friend, a comforter, and a good leader. If you need sustenance today or guidance, why don’t you ask Him? If you need to run something by someone or some advice, why don’t you tell Him what you need? If you need reassurance, encouragement, or comfort, it is readily available for you. Talk to Jesus; He is waiting for you!
What’s a Relationship with the Spirit of God Like?
“Every morning when I awake, I greet the Holy Spirit and invite Him to go with me through the day and take the lead in all my affairs, and He does. I say, Good morning Holy Spirit. Let’s work together today and I will be Your vessel.’ Every evening before retiring I say again, ‘It’s been a wonderful day working with You, Holy Spirit.” This is an excerpt from the book ‘The Holy Spirit, My Senior Partner’ by David Yonggi Cho which I’m currently reading. It has been an eye-opening and fascinating read and I’m barely a third of the way through.
It’s one of my mother’s many books – she’s an avid reader. She gave it to me when I mentioned I needed something to read on a long bus journey. I’m so glad I’m reading it. I have an awareness of the Holy Spirit and His work. In fact, I have experienced being filled by the Holy Spirit resulting in speaking in tongues, feeling a deep and inexplicable sense of joy and peace, feeling like I’m bathed in warmth and light, experiencing a lightness of being and sensing I’m held in a loving embrace by Almighty God. More than that, I have sensed the Spirit of God speak to me, placing thoughts and knowledge within me.
However, I think I am gaining a deeper understanding of the divine person that is the Holy Spirit. For one, I don’t think I was comfortable with or fully realised the fact that the Spirit of God is an incorporeal entity in the same way Jesus is. I remember using personal pronouns like ‘He, Him’ to refer to the Holy Spirit at church many years ago and being swiftly corrected. The people I’d been speaking to became very uncomfortable with this. I never looked further into it but at some point, I started being uncomfortable with using those pronouns too as if they were not Biblical.
Fast forward to today, reading this book, I am reminded that they are, in fact, Biblical – see John 15:26, John 16: 7-8, and John 16:13. The Holy Spirit has emotions, the Holy Spirit speaks, the Holy Spirit has virtues and indeed, the Holy Spirit has a personality. I was convicted that I had taken these things for granted. I had heard them before but they hadn’t really sunk in deep and taken root. So, I emulated what David Yonggi Cho had done and asked the Holy Spirit to come and take leadership in my life and circumstances. I said that I wanted to partner with Him and be His vessel. It was late at night and I said that I was looking forward to what he would do the next day.
Sure enough, the Spirit of God unexpectedly partnered with me very early the next morning. I was asleep when I felt someone sit down next to me. I woke up with a start, removed the mask covering my face and saw a young lady sitting next to me. I was not impressed. The bus was not full! Why on Earth would she choose a seat where someone was already sitting?! I was sitting at the front of the bus so I turned back to double check. As sure as day, there were plenty of unoccupied seats behind us. I tried hard to hide my annoyance and compose myself.
“I shouldn’t have removed my handbag from the seat next to me,” I thought to myself, “then perhaps she wouldn’t have sat here.” Then I immediately felt bad about my attitude. I thought, “Flo, you’re not entitled to this bus seat. Perhaps there’s something about your demeanour that’s inviting and she felt comfortable sitting next to you.” Then I noticed her taking pics and videos since were at the window of a double-decker bus. “See, perhaps she wants to document the journey. It could even be her first time travelling to Cape Town.” I began to soften towards her then I decided to pray.
I’d barely started praying when I felt God say, “Thank me.” I thanked Him for all the things I could think of until I grudgingly thanked Him for the young lady sitting next to me. “Pray for her,” He said. “For her or with her?” I asked. He responded, “For her” I was relieved. I didn’t particularly feel like starting that conversation with her. I started praying and I felt God put it on my heart to pray for peace, for joy, for a sense of identity and a release from what was holding her down or holding her back. My heart softened towards her some more. Then I heard God say, “Ask her what her name is.”
I protested slightly. “Lord, we’re about 100 km from Cape Town. What if she decides to chat with me all the way? It would be a long 100km for me. It’s early in the morning. I am not a morning person and I’m an introvert. Striking up conversations with strangers can be hard for me.” Even as I protested, I knew I was just making excuses. I mustered up the courage and asked her what her name was. She told me. “I’ve done it, Lord,” I said, “now what?” Just then she asked if we’d passed the tunnel. I said we hadn’t and she responded that I was so loud.
Her words had me smarting. “Did you hear what she said, Lord? Unbelievable.” God remained silent but my annoyance started dissipating. “Ask her what she does,” He eventually said. It took me a few minutes but then I asked. She told me she’s studying dentistry. We exchanged a few more pleasantries and then fell into a comfortable silence. As we drew closer to our destination, she started packing up her stuff. I heard God prompt me to pray with her. This time I didn’t hesitate or give excuses. I started looking for an opening and when she made a comment about her jacket, I got the opportunity I was looking for.
I asked her if I could pray with her. To my surprise, she was very receptive. I beckoned her to sit as she was already standing then explained that when she sat next to me, God had prompted me to pray for joy and peace for her. During our conversation earlier before we settled into a comfortable silence, she’d mentioned that she’s not a positive person and when I asked why she said circumstances make her feel that way. Thus, I had the confirmation that the prayer for joy and peace was indeed from God and it was apt. I proceeded to pray for her and the words just tumbled out of me easily.
At several points during the prayer, she squeezed my hand in agreement and at some point, I opened my eyes and looked at her bowed head and saw her nodding. I became emotional but continued praying until I felt I was done. When I said Amen, she lifted her head and I saw that she too was emotional. She thanked me and joked that I was making her emotional. I told her I was emotional too and this time, I earnestly thanked her for sitting next to me. I hugged her again and told her God loved her. She told me that my prayer had been spot on and addressed what she needed. I knew then that the Holy Spirit had just beautifully partnered with me.
But wait. There’s more. Not too long ago, I found myself in a similar situation. I was on a bus with a man who was travelling with a woman who could only have been his mum. Their resemblance was striking. Her legs were swollen and she moved slowly with much difficulty. I was certain she was in pain. Throughout the trip, I watched how he patiently and lovingly helped her along. I felt prompted to pray for her and so I did. When we arrived, he helped me offload my bag without being asked. I was impressed and grateful. As I watched them load their bags into their lift, I felt God prompt me to go over and pray with them.
Sadly, I chickened out. I felt awkward and didn’t know what I would say, or how I would even start the conversation. “Look, they are loading their bags and ready to leave. Surely, I can’t hold them back. Why now when they are ready to go?” I had said to God at the time and watched them leave. I thought of that son and his mother often and wished I had just gone over like God had prompted me to. Who knows how they and I would have been blessed? I told myself that that incident would serve as a lesson and a reminder. God clearly wanted to do something and I missed it. I would not miss another opportunity again.
God, in His grace and mercy, presented me with another opportunity. He prepared me for it and He ministered to me through it despite myself. I mean, He had me thank Him beforehand and was patient when I tried to excuse myself! He honoured my prayer and chose to have me partner with Him in ministering to a lady who needed it and, in so doing, healed my heart that held regret over a missed opportunity. I look forward to more and more opportunities to learn more about who the Holy Spirit is as a person and to partnering with Him in my day-to-day life.
Do you have stories or thoughts to share about your relationship with the Holy Spirit? I’d love to hear them. Please share in the comment below.
I was reading my Bible this morning in Luke 9 and, for some reason, one sentence stood out to me, “Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida…” I read it again and again, and the part about Jesus taking His disciples away with Him really warmed my heart. It was something He did often so that He could teach them, pour into them and prepare them for the work He knew was ahead of them. Jesus was and still is very intentional about teaching and equipping us for the work He gives us to do.
Teaching something or explaining it to someone is one of the best ways to learn something or confirm and solidify your knowledge. At the beginning of the passage in Luke 9, Jesus called his disciples together and gave them authority to cure diseases, drive out impure spirits and proclaim the kingdom of God. He encouraged learning by doing or through experience. As His followers, Christians have been given the same authority and sent to proclaim the kingdom of God in accordance with Jesus’ teachings and the example He embodied.
Jesus taught in synagogues with such authority, wisdom and understanding that those listening were often amazed and praised Him for it. He taught as one who knew what He was talking about and in a way that people in His day hadn’t heard before. He presented God the Father and testified about Him. People began to know Him better and discover mysteries about God previously hidden. I love that Jesus longs for us to have revelations about Him, about the kingdom of heaven and patiently and continually teaches us if we’re willing.
Jesus often asked and still asks questions that seem, at least to me, deep and thought-provoking. He asked people questions about Himself, about scripture, about their lives etcetera all the while knowing the answers to those questions. He wants to create moments of engagement with Him and His Word. He wants to confirm and grow understanding. He wants to reveal how much He knows and cares for you. He encourages curiosity and critical thinking. He wants to reason things out with you so that you conform to His wisdom.
I love Jesus’ guidance and teachings. They have helped in me my life in more ways than I can think of. What about you? Have you engaged with them and what has been your experience? If you haven’t, I encourage you to just give them a try and see for yourself. If you have, I encourage you to share your experience. You may bless and encourage someone today 😊
"I will answer them before they even call to me.
While they are still talking about their needs,
I will go ahead and answer their prayers!"
Isaiah 65:24 NLT
“Sometimes, your faith can be like an unuttered prayer,” mummy said. She then shared the Bible verse above, Isaiah 65 verse 24. We’d been discussing an incident that had just happened. There was a conference at her church and she’d hosted a number of church goers in her home, about 10 or so by my count. Now, in the city I grew up in and where mummy still lives, access to water can be a challenge. It is a semi-arid area that is prone to droughts and fluctuating rainfall.
Statue of Joshua Nkomo in Bulawayo. Photo by Gerald Mashonga.
Growing up, we always had to contend with water rationing. Over the years, the situation has gotten progressively worse especially with the deterioration of infrastructure in the country. It has reached a point where each household has to have an alternative water supply or keep water reserves that can last for several days if not weeks or risk going without. The church conference lasted for four days and mummy hosted the church goers for only two to three days.
Needless to say, it was enough to put a dent into the household water reserves because a day into the conference, running water was cut off right on schedule. During one of the teachings at the conference, a speaker shared that they’d experienced an issue with installation of utility meters. They’d been assigned meters that weren’t sufficient to meet their need. He prayed about the issue and he felt God reassure him that He’d already met the need.
He shared that at one point, he ‘spoke to’ these meters with authority because he had faith that he’d already received them. Sure enough, he received the meters that God had promised. And so, when I realised that our water reserves were running low, I remembered this story and contemplated that perhaps I should ‘speak to the water supply’ with authority and tell it to be re-established outside the usual schedule.
I am not certain why I didn’t do this. Perhaps it was because it occurred to me as I was finishing my morning bath and preparing for the day. The thought may have gotten drowned out by the plans and preparations for the day. Perhaps I felt a little silly at the thought. I cannot say for sure. I don’t think it’s important. What’s important is what happened next. Running water was restored a day after it was cut off!! This was completely out of the ordinary.
It was very surprising and delightful. We now had more than enough water! As I discussed the incident with my mum, she shared that sometimes prayers do not need to be uttered out loud. God longs to bless us and meet our needs. He knows what we need long before we do. In His grace, He often chooses to meet our needs even before we explicitly ask Him to. At times, our faith in Him, in His ability to help, and more importantly, in His desire to help us is like an unspoken prayer.
Isn’t that just heart-warming. God is good. He is a loving Father who anticipates the needs of His children. He watches over us and moves to help us sometimes even before we know we need His help or think to ask for it. He is incredibly generous and kind. Showing considerate regard for us is in His nature and He delights in doing so. If you have not experienced God in this way, won’t you ask Him to show you? If you have, won’t you remember and reflect on all the goodness He has shown and share it with someone you know. They may be blessed by it.
It’s a cold and rainy Tuesday but, other than that, it is a day like any other. I woke up later than usual, checked to see if the power failure in my area had been rectified – it had not – then went for my morning jog. Actually, morning walk is more like it because both my legs were hurting today, especially the right one. It hurt from hip to ankle and made jogging very uncomfortable. I hit the road anyway, hoping the exercise would do my legs some good.
Comfort after a nightmare
The reason I woke up late is because I was plagued with very bad waking dreams during the night, if I can call them that. To be honest, I believe it was actually a spiritual attack. At some point, I could not breathe and I was desperately gasping for air. I remember punching the bed beneath me in my struggle to breath. I was awake and very aware but I was very drowsy. Although I should have been terrified, I was not.
I remember calling on the name of Jesus knowing he would protect and save me, and protect and save me he did! I began to breathe normally again and the nightmare that was plaguing me subsided. The drowsiness and grogginess disappeared and so did the sense of heaviness. I must have prayed before I eventually fell asleep again.
As I reflected about the incident this morning, I remember thinking, “I should be or should have been more afraid. Why am I so calm about this?” Well, it’s because of the rock on which I stand. Jesus Christ! Don’t get me wrong. It’s not as though I was unbothered. The incident bothered me for sure. However, I asked for comfort. I asked for rest and reassurance. I prayed for protection and help and even before I experienced it, I knew it was already provided. I received and continue to receive all that I asked for.
Relief from pain
As I mentioned, my legs were hurting this morning. They started hurting last night and the pain escalated. I don’t know at what point my legs stopped hurting. When I got back from my walk, they were still hurting. I used my hand-help massager to massage them which helped a bit but the pain did not disappear. I meant to take pain tablets but I forgot to before I left the house to go about my business. One thing I didn’t do was pray for healing or relief from pain like I sometimes do. Yet, I believe God gave me relief from the pain even though I did not ask for it. In his kindness, he took the pain away.
Recovering something lost
So, I got some silver hoop earrings for my birthday in March this year. They’re currently my favourite pair of earrings. I wore them today and, to my dismay, I noticed one was missing from my ear when I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror as I was washing my hands. Before I even started looking for the missing earring, something told me that I would find it. I started looking for it and found nothing. The feeling that I’d find it persisted. I wasn’t feeling dismayed anymore.
I prayed a quick prayer that I’d find it and decided to carry on with what I was doing. I took one last look underneath the table where I’d been sitting and there it was, nestled nicely in the rug beneath my chair. I was grateful, and I was reminded that God is concerned with every aspect of our lives no matter how small and insignificant the issue might seem.
I make a point to reflect on and store incidents like these in my memory bank for those moments when I need a reminder. A reminder of God’s kindness and goodness. A reminder of just how much God is concerned about my life and my wellbeing. Jesus is faithful and will come through for you. That’s a truth worth shouting from the rooftops 😊
Trigger Warning: Sensitive Content – contains topics pertaining to depression, suicide and spiritual influence.
I was scrolling on social media a couple of days ago and came across a post titled “Lifting Heaviness” posted by someone I follow. The title was quite jarring and I paused for a second then scrolled past it. “This sounds like a heavy post,” I thought to myself, “I don’t think I’ll engage with this.” Yet something made me come back to the post. I opened it and found it linked to a video that was 26.09 minutes long. “Oh, that’s too long! Perhaps I’ll save it and watch it another time,” I said to myself knowing full well I wouldn’t watch it later.
However, my curiosity got the better of me so I decided to just peruse the video, catch the important bits, then keep it moving. Nitah, the vlogger, described an encounter she had with the spirit of suicide and heaviness (I did mention it’s jarring). She described how this spirit disguises itself as your inner voice, presenting itself as your own thoughts so that you’re more receptive to its suggestions or influence. She also spoke about how it isolates you from those who love and support you the most.
Lastly, it comes with a sense of heaviness so that you feel like you are incapable of doing anything. It overwhelms you and everything feels dark and difficult. This caught my attention. God ministered to me through a video that I’d been unwilling to watch in the first place. See, just before I came across it, I’d been feeling down and heavy. At one point, I remember thinking to myself, “You’re worthless. You’re nothing. Everything you touch turns to ash. Look at your life!” Now, I vowed many years ago never to entertain suicidal thoughts, so those never come up for me.
Nonetheless, another equally life-draining thought does. In my defeat and feeling of despair in that moment, I asked God to take me out, take me home because my life wasn’t worth living. It’s not the first time I’ve said this to God. I also thought to myself, “Are you sure God has healed you from depression and anxiety. It seems like you’re still struggling with it. Maybe you just want to imagine that you’ve been healed.” As someone who’s suffered from depression and anxiety in the past, I began to realise I’d become a little too familiar with that feeling of being down, heavy, overwhelmed and feeling like you can’t do life and that’s not from God.
You can imagine just how timely the testimony and prayer from Nitah were! My primary coping mechanism has been to isolate and retreat into myself. It begs the question, “Is that truly a personality thing or is that something that the enemy has attempted to put on me?” I don’t know. I don’t have the answer. I’m willing to take it to God and let him lead the way. In the same way I believe he healed me from the depression and anxiety that robbed me of life, I believe he will work this out. God is faithful and true. He is mighty to save. Jeremiah says:
“ Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed;
save me and I will be saved,
for you are the one I praise.”Jeremiah 17:14 (NIV)
This post was not easy for me to write. This post is vulnerable and raw. Anyone who knows me knows I’m a very private person but I think it’s important to share. I believe the biggest step in overcoming anything is breaking the silence and stepping into the light! Even as I am writing this, I feel a burden and a sense of heaviness attempting to wash over me but Jesus stands and fights for me. I am concerned about being judged or about offending someone especially those who have lost a loved one to suicide or have attempted it.
However, there may be someone out there who needs to hear this and be encouraged by it. Perhaps this will serve to make someone feel less alone or like there’s something wrong with them. Hear me, there isn’t! You are worthy. You are loved. You are precious. If you can’t believe or accept this, I pray that God will reveal this to you in a personal and intimate way so that you would accept and believe it. May God minister to you, revealing himself to you everywhere you go and in everything you do. May he heal those places within you that are broken, traumatised and hurting. May he end the isolation and the loneliness. I pray that you experience his love and grace right now. In Jesus’ name 🙏🏾 Amen.
“Remember my goodness,” He said. I was taking a walk, ruminating and reflecting when He said this to me. “Okay,” I responded. I tried to but nothing was coming to mind so I said to Him, “I’m drawing a blank. Please remind me.” And remind me He did. He immediately drew me to a park I used to go to often. I remembered a season where I would sit there with Him, pouring my heart out, listening for His voice and being filled every single time.
He took me on a journey in my mind. I remembered moments in my life, big and small, when he showed up again and again. He made promises that He fulfilled. That was about a year ago. This morning, He reminded me of His goodness again through song. This time, no specific place or moments were on my mind but I found myself reflecting on how faithful, kind, good and full of grace God is. He is tender hearted. He is close to the broken hearted and sorrowful. He rejoices with those who rejoice. He loves with a deep, abiding love.
He delights in His children and is a proud Father. I say He shows up to express how he meets our needs in a way only He can; never too late but never too early, never too little but always fully and abundantly, always perfectly and in perfect love! Yet showing up doesn’t fully capture what He does for He’s always there with us. I take comfort and I delight in this – being known completely, accepted unconditionally, and cared for diligently and lovingly all day, every day. I’m in awe.
What good things has God done for you? How has He shown up in your life or your world? Have you reflected on His character, actions or Word lately? I invite you to do so, again and again. Taste and see that the Lord is good!
It’s the second day of 2023. I feel a prompting in my soul to ‘write’ but I have no idea what to write about, what to say. A couple of years ago, this time of the year, I took a break. I told myself, “It’s the festive season. You’re tired. You’re grieving. You have a lot to figure out. Take a break.” It was sound advice I gave myself. I did neglect to set a date to get back into writing. And that is how all this time passed without me getting back into regular writing.
This, right here, is an act of obedience to Jesus. An act of obedience even when I have no clarity. To be honest, I don’t see the path but such is life, isn’t it? Often, we don’t see the full picture. In fact, many times, we only have a step. This is my step. I’ve felt a prompting in my soul for some time to write, and the purpose is to glorify Jesus. This is all I know. So, here I am with my proverbial pen and paper writing in obedience and waiting for the next step.
There’s the temptation to give in to guilt. I should have done this sooner. I should have done better. Should have. Could have. Would have. Yet this isn’t how Jesus speaks to me. This isn’t how he relates to me. He showers me with grace. He corrects and directs me to the opportunities before me. He’s ever-loving and patient, giving me wisdom and insight just when I need it.
So, I’m learning to do the same with myself and others. I’m learning to shower myself with love and grace even when I miss the mark. I’m leaning into unconditional self-love and patience. I am learning not to hold it against myself when I fall short or miss the mark. I’m excited about what’s ahead. If I’m being honest, I’m also a bit nervous and confused at times. However, I’m mostly excited and very grateful. Thank you, Jesus!
Happy New Year, beloved. Join me as I move onwards and upwards. I’d love the company. Onwards and upwards we go.
Oxford Languages defines ‘questioning’ as the act of asking someone questions, especially in an official context, and showing an interest in learning new things. I don’t know about you but I find that when you talk about ‘questioning’, generally speaking, the definition that pops into many people’s minds first is ‘expressing doubts about the value or truth of something’. Being an inquisitive person, I’m naturally inclined to ask questions or seek information. I enjoy pondering about many things, the big things and the seemingly insignificant things. Today I got to pondering about asking God questions.
I was chatting to someone close to me earlier and they mentioned they were spending time reading the Bible, reflecting, and asking God questions about what He’s directing them to do with their life. As we chatted, it emerged that like me, they had done this before and received a response. Yet they were asking God the same questions again. I was very encouraged to hear that I’m not the only one who does this. I feel like I have been asking God the same questions over and over for years despite receiving a response for many of these questions. It’s easy to start to feel bad for asking.
Also, this person I was chatting to is a very wise and dedicated Christian who I look up to very much. This reaffirmed how normal and natural questioning is. It told me that no matter how mature I become as a Christian, I will still question and I think that is a good thing. There is nothing inherently wrong with questioning. Questioning serves a purpose and I’ve categorised this into five reasons why we question: searching for an answer, seeking reassurance, asking for confirmation, soliciting strength, and expressing doubt.
Searching for an answer
One of the reasons we ask questions is because we have a need – a need for an answer or for some kind of provision. Jesus’ heart is to provide for us, to answer our deepest needs as well as our minor needs. He said, “Therefore I tell you, stop being perpetually uneasy (anxious and worried) about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink; or about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life greater [in quality] than food, and the body [far above and more excellent] than clothing? ….But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.”
Often, when we question God, we are actually looking for encouragement. There are many times where I have prayed and have heard an answer from God. Yet because what God has said has not yet manifested, I might ask the same questions again. Perhaps a new development has happened or something I hadn’t considered suddenly comes to light. Worry and even fear may begin to creep in. Asking the same questions sometimes is a response to that worry or fear that threatens me. As a child running to her dad, I ask him to reassure me and He is more than happy to do so.
Asking for confirmation
“Did I hear what I think I heard, Jesus?” “Did you really say what I think you said, God?”
“Was that your voice or was that actually my own?” I can’t tell you how many times I have asked these questions in one form or another. This is typically when I first hear a response from God and I want to test or confirm it to make sure, especially if it is surprising or unusual. Questioning, in this instance, serves the purpose of ensuring that we are aligned with God. James 1:5 states, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”
This brings me to the issue of doubt or unbelief. Perhaps God has placed something on your heart and you don’t think it can or will happen. One of the things I struggle with, personally, is believing it can happen for me. When we receive God’s counsel or response, we’re told not to doubt but to believe because doubting causes us to drift and be unanchored. We feel troubled, uneasy, and not at peace. However, when you doubt, I think it is important to remember that Jesus does not judge you. Instead, He shows mercy, grace and compassion. Therefore, you must also show yourself mercy, grace and compassion. You can ask God to help you overcome doubt and free you from it and He will.
Soliciting strength
Let’s imagine that God has confirmed something he’s placed on your heart. You have faith, there’s not a shred of doubt in you. You are confident in Christ. Yet when you are going through it all, it starts to feel like it’s too much for you. Sometimes, we might question God, not because we don’t believe or need confirmation or an answer but because we just need strength to stay the course. When you’re in the midst of a difficult situation, it takes a lot of strength to endure. Challenges can test every aspect of you until you’re exhausted or spent and you may start to ask God some tough questions. There were many times in the past when I knew what I needed to do but I thought I didn’t have it in me to do it or to keep going.
At times, I found myself saying, “It shouldn’t be this difficult if you’re in it, God.” Yet that is exactly the case during those times. I may face so many obstacles and opposition in the course of doing what God has called me to do and they may feel like they’re beyond me. I’ve come to understand that Christ did not promise an easy life. However, he did promise to be with us always and to carry our burdens. In times of difficulty, I have found that I can cry out to God and He rescues me and gives me strength. As a friend of God, you do not have to endure on your own. Jesus gives you the strength to keep going and to overcome.
What are your thoughts and experiences when it comes to questioning?
iBloom for God 