Is it what I think it is.......

Is it what I think it is?  What a confusing group of words!  This group of words can be related to many different circumstances.  But I have a specific direction that this is going.

In this case, the "it" is God's voice or direction.  The key word in this statement is "I".  Anytime we insert our thoughts into determining God's voice or direction we set ourselves up for misinterpretation, failure or blaming others.

I have one thing to say..."It" is what "It" is...He never changes.  Unfortunately, we tend to blame circumstances or others for not "hearing" God correctly.  The last time I checked, this world and the people in it are sinners, lacking perfection.  If we allow the lack of perfection in others to shade our recognition of God's direction in our lives, then we will forever be disappointed.

Too many times, when things don't go our way with finances, relationships, health or spiritual growth, we think that maybe we didn't hear God correctly.  Do we measure hearing God correctly with life progressing as we think it should...with no hiccups.

In James 1:2-4 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

What is the "testing of your faith"?  I believe that testing is offensive relationships, difficult finances, fleeting health or stunted spiritual growth.

To hear God, we must recognize God!  The apostle John wrote in John 10:14 & 15, "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep."

There are 2 comparisons, the Shepherd and his Sheep and the Father and the Son.  The Shepherd never leaves his Sheep and the Father and Son have always been together.  For us to hear and recognize God's voice, we must never separate ourselves from Him.  We must bury ourselves in His Word, sing praises to Him, fight for Him and obey Him when He calls us.

It is what I think it is...its God's voice calling you and I to follow Him wherever there is a need not thinking about "what's in it for me".

Enjoying My Kup...

Steve