Spirit Choices (Discernment Series #11)

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Eph. 4:30-32

Today we will look into another aspect of steering away from our wrong choices (even when we are antagonized). We will learn more about how discernment is really a strong desire to hear God’s Holy Spirit.

This past week my family lost a dear loved one, 89 years old, and of all people who exemplified this strong desire for the Spirit of God, it was her. Her whole life she followed Him. In this, I too, want to take in all I can to grasp how to follow the same path.

The first point I’ll make according to today’s verse is that sadly, we all have it within us to grieve or even quench (I Thess. 5:19) God’s Spirit and thus make terrible decisions. Today’s verse explains some of the ways we do that through our bitterness and anger.

When I use my emotions to hurt or discourage God’s people, the Spirit may be even more grieved than when I fail to perfectly carry out His guidance in discernment (which we’ve studied all this time). In fact, how we spend our time discerning the way we treat His people is probably more important than any other decision.

Before going further in this post, take a moment to read through the entire fourth chapter of Ephesians. List ways the Holy Spirit guides us in discernment in our relationships with others. Write down what discernment is and is not and list qualities you discover that would better define the word itself.

Here is ‘my’ list:

Discernment is urgent, humble, gentle, patient, loving, unified, peace-filled, grace-filled, works- of-service-oriented, joined, building each other up; not dark, not hardened; puts on the new self; not false but true, not speaking unwholesome things; doesn’t grieve the Holy Spirit; not bitter, raging, angry or gossiping, but kind, compassionate and forgiving.

The chapter you just read is all about relationship. In our connections with each other, wisdom tells us that the Spirit may prompt us like He did in the past. But, He may also lead us to take an alternative path, way out of our comfort zones. In other words, yesterday’s discernment in a situation may be different from today’s discernment and then a whole new way of handling it tomorrow. Knowing this helps us to be flexible with how the Spirit leads us in relating to each other and in emptying ourselves of expectations of what we think God wants us to do.

We ask ourselves questions like, how much is too much to speak? What is the right amount of confrontation or revealing of my feelings? Sometimes, the less words the better. We learn to want, more than anything else, what the Spirit wants because of our faith in His goodness. Once we make a decision through the Spirit of God, we don’t look back. In faith, we keep our eyes on Him and go forward.

The second point is simply a few links to help us better understand the Spirit of God. The following links will take you to a few of the devotions in the words of Oswald Chambers – My Utmost For His Highest. They both speak of our desire to follow God’s Spirit.

https://utmost.org/do-not-quench-the-spirit/
https://utmost.org/the-discipline-of-the-lord/

Of course, there are wrong reasons to desire God’s Spirit. This is my third point. In Acts 8:9-25, Simon wanted the gift of the Holy Spirit so he could learn more magic. He wanted power. He was pursuing miracles more than he was pursuing God. Acts 8:18 speaks of how Simon wanted to buy the Holy Spirit for the excitement of the miracle.

Is it possible to confuse my desire for discernment with my desire for a magical experience so that I can gain attention? It is very right to share testimonies, but for only one reason, to glorify God.

We must ask ourselves what our motive is when we share our stories.

Fourth, in the times we feel ‘called’ by God’s Spirit, it is not a moment to enjoy (though we will have pleasure in following the Him), but to work. It is not an opportunity to be comfortable.

When you receive a birthday gift from your best friend, what does that look like? The kindness brings a smile to your lips and makes you feel special and loved. However, the Holy Spirit is not a birthday gift to make you smile. His gift is calling you to a higher plane.

This leads us to the fifth point. After writing in I Corinthians 12 about gifts of tongues and other such things, Paul ends in verse 31 by saying, ^“Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.” What follows is the famous chapter on love. I Corinthians 13 says that the gift of tongues and prophecy are great, but greater still is the gift of loving one another.

As we become aware of our God-given talents, we must remember that the greatest way to expend our energies is to love what is unlovable. We are choosing to be on a higher plane when we love what is hard to love.

We are most alive when we are loving and actively giving. It is the way God made us. When we choose such lives, the Spirit of God moves and acts in and through us in ways that, on our own, we are not capable. Love is our purpose for living. Love promotes godly discernment.

As we continue to fervently feed our desire to become more like Christ and bend with His Spirit for the sake of God’s kingdom and not for our own benefit, Gal. 5:22,23 reveals to us, through the Spirit’s fruit, a way to know that we are truly listening, which is the sixth point. The fruit that speaks of our oneness with Him is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (many of the things we just listed from Eph. 4). Every moment we live, when we lean on the Holy Spirit for truth, His fruit will be brought about in our lives.

The seventh point in the Christian walk and of the Holy Spirit’s presence and fruit within us is to come clean about how much we really want, deep in our souls, to have His rule over our lives. When we are at our wit’s end for guidance, the Holy Spirit can show us the way. But how can He lead us when we are still well-supplied with all sorts of answers of our own.

Our hearts are full of self. They must be emptied.

Discernment is the willingness to start over, start from scratch, to be flexible to hear something different or new and be empty so we can be filled with His wisdom.

When I have no more answers and have come to the end of my rope, it is time to stop thinking, to sit before my Father and simply cry out His name and worship.

Here are the new additions to the Discernment Wheel from last week:

Discernment is:

Luke 18:31 Following this verse as an example of Jesus calling His disciples to a new place
Using love to cast out a spirit of fear
Knowing that some confrontations or truth may better be heard from others, not me
Overseeing a heart of faithfulness vs gossip
Not a promise of great results (or calm), yet I know that I have done his will
Not free from battles (Jesus quoted scripture)
*Doesn’t mean passive; it is important during a conflict to pause (for a time to regroup) in order to have a chance to come to truth and then relay it; then, I speak it with passion
*Not my ability to figure it out
*Not followed through by my power
*Not necessarily about having good feelings

[*These additions aren’t in previous lessons, but added through comments.]

Father, in all my dealings with people, whether loved ones or strangers, lead me through your Spirit. Show me the way to love. Give me the fruit I need in order to show everyone who you are. In my decisions, help me to pause and consider your Holy Spirits guidance in all things. In Jesus name, Amen.

Clap if You Believe!

Abraham believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness. Gen 15:6

Belief is a powerful thing. I remember watching the movie Peter Pan as a child. When we came to the part when Tinkerbell’s life was fading away, we clapped hard. We believed that she could get better!

Belief is actually a childlike trait. It’s a posture of trusting in something bigger than myself, like knowing that my daddy would take care of my needs and never even giving it a second thought that something could go wrong. I was with my daddy. I didn’t have fear of want.

In my current situation, I may not have any reason to believe that my need or want will come true, but I choose to believe because I have a God (my heavenly father) who can do the impossible, and I can rest in that.

I grew up singing the song, God Moves in a Mysterious way. In the lyrics, I remember these words: “Blind unbelief is sure to err.”

It is true, my unbelief will tend to get me into trouble. It will take my eyes off God and put them on my own abilities, which are terribly lacking.

I am safer believing in God’s plans than I am in my own power.

In fact, believing is a wonderful practice. It leads to more joy, peace and patience. I am happier when I release my unbelief and take a chance on my Almighty God. Even when things don’t turn out the way I prayed. God can still be trusted.

Sarah laughed when she overheard that she would have a son, maybe a little out of anguish and sorrow from all the years of waiting and giving up on God’s promise that this could actually happen.

No matter how much time goes by, something always happens in the waiting. Then one day God shows up.

In the New Testament, belief for healing was extremely important. Jesus healed one person after an other because of their belief. And when a whole town disbelieved, the healings diminished greatly, even though Jesus was in their midst. How sad!
Their lives could have been so changed.

Question: Does belief mean that I always get what I want, exactly the way I pray for it, or does it mean that I get what God wants (concerning the situation), in His timing?

When a person believes, his actions show it. That’s why the fruit of the spirit gets involved when I believe. My heart has room to love and show kindness when I have given everything over to the Lord. Disbelief makes me cling to my own needs in selfishness and despair.

When I have a tough problem to bring to God (one that is impossible to believe will be resolved well), I give my all in worship to Him and lay that issue at His feet to do as He pleases. It is important that I give even the results of my prayers to Him and trust His choices in the matter. Then I turn my eyes to serve His people and give my all to help them. I don’t sit around and anxiously fret. I get busy.

This waiting period and these moments are my chance to show through my actions that I believe, and it’s God’s chance to glorify Himself in the way He answers my prayers.

There are times that life will crush and beat me down. Yet, in my frailty, I still believe, and in the process I am being refined as gold for the things He has planned for me.

Lord, you considered Abraham a righteous man because of his belief in you. I am so weak and sinful. Yet I want to learn how to believe in you with all my heart. Teach me how to give you my full trust. In Jesus name, Amen.

Clearing My Mind of Annoyances

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult. Proverbs 12:16

This week, my study has been completely fascinating. To remind myself daily not to be so easily annoyed has truly tested the truth of who I am. I am new at this. Perhaps I will never fully perfect this area of my life, but the pursuit of today’s verse is unbelievably challenging, thrilling and life-changing.

I discovered reasons behind my annoyances: lack of sleep, being overworked, interruptions, insults (or perceived insults). But those are simply excuses.

My mind must be retrained to overlook the insult or trial and instead dwell on God’s presence and fullness and to praise and glorify Him with all of me.

I had nights I didn’t sleep well, and woke actually annoyed at God for not ‘letting me sleep.’  However, I changed the thoughts to dwell instead on the moments I had with Him in which I was able to lift others up in prayer and spend the quiet hours in praise for all the good He has done. Deep down I know there is design in all things.

Good can come even from lack of sleep. God doesn’t cause it, but He is with me. After sleepless nights, I rely totally on Him and not myself, and that is good!

I learned this week not to allow myself to dwell on the annoyances of others. Sometimes I experience their frustrations with ME or with life in general. That is not mine to carry. I must trust them into the care of God. Becoming worried and annoyed at other’s unkindnesses toward me go hand and hand.

Also, when they go through tough times, it’s hard for me to watch. There is a helpless, hopelessness I feel. And most likely, because of their situations, they probably will get annoyed and take it out on me…which in turn annoys me. It is a vicious cycle!

The Bible says to go through the process of teaching myself to overlook the insult, to see past it into the deeper lessons God is bringing into their lives and in mine.

I came up with a phrase this past week: stop and dwell.

Stop the onslaught of negative thoughts in my head that stir me to be annoyed and dwell on the higher things of God.

As the week progressed, however, I had to ask myself, “If God is so filling, why don’t I feel full when I’m in the refining process?“

Part of the answer lies in these facts: His filling of me happens His way, by His energy and through my obedience to His calling. Sometimes, I AM full, but I don’t feel it. My heart must choose to believe that God is filling me up to the brim and overflowing me with His love, mercy and strength.

One way I was taught this week to address annoyance or insults is to immediately speak truth in love, instead of dwelling on frustrations. If the situation doesn’t call for my words, then I let go and keep myself from dwelling on it.

But how do I do that?

Overlooking a true or perceived insult will be a process in me forever. Yet, one idea came to me that helps me realize my goal. I picture the person or trial that is taking up real estate in my head. They are standing on a runway at the airport and they are pointing up to the heavens to God. They are saying to me, “Think about God, not my hurtful words or distracting comments. Pray for me, but stay focused on the Father and His will for your life.“

I give myself permission to place them in God’s care and rise above the situation in a healthy, positive way, which means my responses are more pure and loving. It means God has a chance to work in mighty ways instead of me getting in the way because of my feelings!

Father, teach me more about overlooking the little annoyances of life. Show me ways to keep my gaze on you on this rough sea and actually walk ON the water. I grab your hand and trust you with all of me. In Jesus name, Amen. 

Run to His Discipline

Prov 3:11-12 My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

How does the Lord discipline me? Through frank words of others, illnesses, trials or consequences of my actions?

When ANYTHING negative happens in my life, one of my first thoughts is, am I being disciplined?

Some would think that was crazy, but the only other alternative seems to be quietly blaming others for all the terrible things in my life. Of course, I would never breathe a word of that to anyone, but blame is a huge curse to my soul. After all, it’s easier to tell myself that their honest but critical comments are about them, not me.

Another ‘disciplining’ moment is when more work gets piled on me than I think I can handle or when I have a night or three nights of little sleep.

When these moments happen, I stop and consider whose strength moves the work forward. It is not a time to dwell on my right to complain. It is my privilege to learn how to praise, even during the trials of my life.

As I keep moving through these thoughts, I’m sensing a severe love from my Father God and my tendency to back away in pride. How dare He allow these things to happen to me. Yet, without His discipline I would die.

The worst thing about this verse is when I see the terrible trials of those I love. I would do anything to take the unhappiness away. I would trade places if I could. There is no doubt that speaking words to them about God’s discipline at such a time, is completely off-taste and terribly judgmental.

So, the thoughts continue, and I wonder what kind of person I am to be going so deeply into today’s verse. But if I don’t think about such things, my spirit tells me ‘I’ have defined life, not as God sees it, but all turned around and upside down.

Being disciplined by God is a good thing, not bad.  It’s what a loving father would do to train the child up in the way he should go. Perhaps this verse needs to be a more welcomed and regular part of my thought patterns.

My flesh wants to speak out to the skies, “How dare you say that ‘I’ need discipline?”
Yet, every hour of every day I stand condemned. It is only by the blood of Jesus that I can be righteous before God. My sins call for so much worse than the good I am receiving daily.

When bad things happen to me, it’s not always about His discipline. It may possibly be an attack of the enemy just as well.

Either way, I may not always be able to discern between God’s discipline or the enemy’s attack, BUT I can glorify and lift His name high. I can praise Him.

There is a story in the Bible about a prodigal son. He experienced the consequences of his actions. But that wasn’t the main part of the story.

The point was and still is that the Father waits. We are all prodigal son’s and daughters. But the Father waits. We receive discipline and consequences, and He waits.

He paces the floor and walks out to the edge of the land. He shields His eyes from the sun and looks longingly to see if we are ready to come back. And when we do, He doesn’t talk about our sins or throw them in our face. He throws us a party. The main part of this story is about redemption.

Father, I want to run to you to accept your discipline. I don’t want to be left to my own devices. A child left to himself will die. It is a terrifying thought. Hold me close to you, Jesus. Help me to listen to your voice, even when it feels unfair or harsh. I want to grow up in your love. In Jesus name, Amen.