"But why do I have to?"
"Because I said so, that's why!"
I know the parents reading this can relate to this. All of us, at one time or another, have uttered those words to our children.
Kids question why we say to do what we do, just like we questioned our parents, and they questioned theirs.
We do the same thing with God. He prompts us to do something, and we want to know why. He directs us to not do something, or go somewhere, and we want to know why.
I think when God directs our path, as we ask Him to, we question what He directs us to do or not do because it's human nature to question things. Sometimes He is protecting us from harm when the thing He gently guides us away from would be bad for us. Sometimes, though, it's a completely innocent thing that we want to do and He urges us not to do it.
And then we ask "Why?"
God doesn't exactly say "Because I said so," but he does say in Isaiah:
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," declares the Lord."For 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 (NASB).
Recently I went against the still, small voice that was urging me to stay home instead of going somewhere.
What I wanted to do wasn't bad; not at all. It was a really good thing. I just wasn't supposed to go. I needed to stay home.
I may never know the reason I was hesitant to go where I did. This was my first clue, though: I was hesitant to go. Sometimes the Holy Spirit's leading is very subtle and quiet and comes in a mere uncertainty about the situation at hand. I know this from experience, but I need to be reminded at times.
There are times when His leading is very strong and I have no doubt at all if it is His voice or not. I know His voice when He is emphatically telling me yes or no about something.
This was not one of those times. This was more a learning experience; an exercise in listening to even the slightest urging of the Holy Spirit.
In fact, it is very possible that He set me up so He could show me this. Or maybe He knew I was tired and He wanted me to stay in and rest. It could be that God wanted to speak to me. I did have a slight word for a blog brewing in me just a little before I went. It's gone now, though.
It's all good if I learn from it. He has a plan and a purpose for each of us. I didn't "blow it" by ignoring the slight urging of the Spirit. I just learn from it, and do better next time.
And write the blog He gave me about it, even if it is after midnight.
Good night, folks!
