One of the requirements, as it were, of being filled with the Holy Spirit is that we also obey Him. All the time. In things big and small. Even when it doesn’t make sense. Not too long ago I came upon the following excerpt from the book TGIF, Today God Is First, by Os Hillman. It was so good and so appropriate for today I decided to post it here.
“So often we as a society equate numbers with success. The larger the conference, the more successful we deem it. The larger a church, the more we believe that God is blessing. And so on. I recall planning a conference one time. Registrations were not where I felt they needed to be a few weeks before the date of the event. It wasn't long before I began to get "under the pile" about the level of attendance. My friend, who was organizing this conference with me, called and asked how I was doing. I had to confess where I was. He immediately reminded me of my own teaching in this area. We are all called to be led by the Spirit, not by outcomes. "If God called us to put on this conference, then the outcome is up to Him if we have done our part." He went on to explain how he learned this lesson in a similar way a few years earlier.
He and a friend were led to host a Bible study group. His friend was to speak. It was nine o'clock and they were the only two people there. His friend was discouraged and was ready to leave. "No," said my friend. "We have done what the Holy Spirit directed." He then stood up and began to welcome people as though there were many in the room. (No one was in the room.) He introduced his friend and they began the meeting. A few minutes later, people began to straggle in. By the time the meeting was over, ten had shown up, and one man in particular was impacted by the meeting.
Being led by the Spirit often means we must not use the world's standard for success as our measuring stick. You never know what an act of obedience will yield at the time. We must leave results to God. Our role is to obey. His role is to bring results from our obedience.
Do you make decisions based on the potential outcome or by the direction of the Holy Spirit in your life? Do you overly evaluate the pros and cons without consideration to what the Holy Spirit might be saying deep inside? We are all prone to make decisions based on reasoning alone. Ask God to give you a willingness and ability to hear the Holy Spirit and to obey His promptings.”
Wow. What an article. Now you know why I posted it here. We are all prone to this. Getting discouraged when something we thought the Holy Spirit wanted us to do doesn’t work out like we’d planned. We witness to a co-worker and get an icy reception. We try to help someone and we get our head handed to us. You know. You’ve been there. Pastors are especially prone to this. You pour your heart and soul into a lesson. Or a sermon. Or some kind of event. And people don’t show up. (Some do. But not many. And not the ones who really needed it!) This can be discouraging. I have found over the years that very few things work out just like I expected them to. But if we keep in mind that God is in control, what a difference that makes.
Pray for me that I’ll remember this lesson. And I’ll pray for you. Bottom line = do whatever the Holy Spirit wants you to do. Leave the results to Him. You will never go wrong!
“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” Isaiah 55:8,9
Lord, I thank you for that still, small voice that constantly speaks to my heart. May I be quick to follow You. Thorough in my execution. And confident in Your leading. I will leave the results in Your hands. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“So often we as a society equate numbers with success. The larger the conference, the more successful we deem it. The larger a church, the more we believe that God is blessing. And so on. I recall planning a conference one time. Registrations were not where I felt they needed to be a few weeks before the date of the event. It wasn't long before I began to get "under the pile" about the level of attendance. My friend, who was organizing this conference with me, called and asked how I was doing. I had to confess where I was. He immediately reminded me of my own teaching in this area. We are all called to be led by the Spirit, not by outcomes. "If God called us to put on this conference, then the outcome is up to Him if we have done our part." He went on to explain how he learned this lesson in a similar way a few years earlier.
He and a friend were led to host a Bible study group. His friend was to speak. It was nine o'clock and they were the only two people there. His friend was discouraged and was ready to leave. "No," said my friend. "We have done what the Holy Spirit directed." He then stood up and began to welcome people as though there were many in the room. (No one was in the room.) He introduced his friend and they began the meeting. A few minutes later, people began to straggle in. By the time the meeting was over, ten had shown up, and one man in particular was impacted by the meeting.
Being led by the Spirit often means we must not use the world's standard for success as our measuring stick. You never know what an act of obedience will yield at the time. We must leave results to God. Our role is to obey. His role is to bring results from our obedience.
Do you make decisions based on the potential outcome or by the direction of the Holy Spirit in your life? Do you overly evaluate the pros and cons without consideration to what the Holy Spirit might be saying deep inside? We are all prone to make decisions based on reasoning alone. Ask God to give you a willingness and ability to hear the Holy Spirit and to obey His promptings.”
Wow. What an article. Now you know why I posted it here. We are all prone to this. Getting discouraged when something we thought the Holy Spirit wanted us to do doesn’t work out like we’d planned. We witness to a co-worker and get an icy reception. We try to help someone and we get our head handed to us. You know. You’ve been there. Pastors are especially prone to this. You pour your heart and soul into a lesson. Or a sermon. Or some kind of event. And people don’t show up. (Some do. But not many. And not the ones who really needed it!) This can be discouraging. I have found over the years that very few things work out just like I expected them to. But if we keep in mind that God is in control, what a difference that makes.
Pray for me that I’ll remember this lesson. And I’ll pray for you. Bottom line = do whatever the Holy Spirit wants you to do. Leave the results to Him. You will never go wrong!
“‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” Isaiah 55:8,9
Lord, I thank you for that still, small voice that constantly speaks to my heart. May I be quick to follow You. Thorough in my execution. And confident in Your leading. I will leave the results in Your hands. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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