14 July – It pays to listen!

Today’s blog is written by my husband Philip. Enjoy

I am a doer. When I see a problem in front of me I like to work out a way to fix it, and then want to get on a fix it. This is ok some of the time…..but sometimes it’s not. There have been times in my life where I have jumped in to fix a situation and things have not improved at all…or they have even got worse!

I was confronting God about this and outlining my dissatisfaction at a situation that had not improved when I thought it should have because I had done the right thing. And then God spoke….and rebuked me for failing to stop and listen…and then gave me revelation of past instances where if I had stopped and waited in Him and listened, I would have avoided the situation overall and been in a totally better position.

This is a bit like Peter in the movie from the Narnia series, Prince Caspian. The Narnian’s are outnumbered, but rather than wait on Aslan and seek some wisdom, Peter thinks he needs to take control and get some action happening, so charges off to attack the castle. He ends up losing some good troops and being further outnumbered.

Action is good, but sometimes it is wiser to step back and seek our Heavenly Father for a different perspective on the situation. God sees things a lot clearer than we do, and knows all things. Seeking Him can bring clarity and therefore a clearer sense of purpose and action, which may differ from charging off because we think we know how to handle a situation.

Learn to rest in God, to be content in every situation, and take time to pray…and listen to God’s take on a situation. It can save a lot of pain in the future knowing the right course of action now.

Hebrews 13: 5b-6 “for He has said, “I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!” 6 So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently say, “The Lord is my Helper [in time of need], I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”