Focus!

"We must focus."

THERE ARE many voices speaking. People with ideologies, experiences, hurts and rejoicings. Devils, though these are not to be expected, EVER. Our doubts speak to us, our victories. But not Satan, he’s not omnipresent like God; he’s been defeated, rendered useless. Hebrews 2:14. We need to stop saying things like “the devil in my ear.” He isn’t.

There are many voices speaking many things. We must focus. Focus on Jesus, on the Spirit, on the Father. The Father speaks separately, and it’s awe-inspiring, so powerful, so gentle. He speaks through the Spirit, who has His own voice, and so does Jesus, but you will know it when you hear it and not have doubt. We must focus and hear when there are so many things being spoken and not be dismayed by the chaos. That’s my biggest struggle. I’m a one-track mind. I want to hear ONLY Them. I don’t want to have to nitpick to find Them, and often, I don’t because They know me and so speak to me as is easiest for me to listen.

“This peace allows a time for rebuilding and reconstruction, ushers in prosperity, fosters the rule of order in the place of chaos, and produces a calm, inner stability that results in the ability to conduct yourself peacefully even in the midst of circumstances that would normally be upsetting or traumatic.” (1 Peter 1:2, Renner Interpretative Version on the definition of “shalom”)

Life creeps in though, and I must, amidst the noise, hear God speaking. Yet often, when He speaks, I hear no actual words. I always say God speaks in sentences. He speaks in paragraphs, as conversation. Raise your hopes and expect Him to speak this way with you. But when there are no actual words, He wants us to know Him by His nature, His character, His method of working. Here, I pause to make emphasis. I’ve heard ministers tell stories of things people said God said that God would never say. We must know His Word. It is our foundation. We must KNOW IT and not just assume its meaning. And that includes what is being preached to us, because preachers are human and so speak from themselves sometimes. We hear what is said and always judge it by the Word. Judge what is said and not the person. God’s judgment is always mercy. But His Truth is specific and precise. There’s no guesswork. God doesn’t have to “see the situation” first. He knows it and all who are involved in it, far over and above our natural understanding.

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17)

He is gracious, longsuffering, and kind. Always. He is good and does good for us at all times (Romans 8:28). He is never evil, never “working with” the enemy who Jesus’ died and rose again to defeat. He is definite and never wavering. James 1:6 speaks of our thinking sometimes as the waves of the sea. We’re indecisive, up one minute and down the next. There is such compassion from Him for us in these words. He would have us know Truth, have His wisdom, which He is eager to give (James 1:5). And in the midst of that ocean, be stable and steady.

He wants to always be recognized, at all times, in all situations, no matter what is happening to us or around us. That is the bottom line. Then, because we read His Word and put it in our heart, our spirit man, and not just in our head with everything else, then, because we know His Voice through time spent with Him, by making Him our first love, our lover, the one we seek, then, because He is our focus, we will live at that place in Psalm 91 where nothing in the world around us alters our point-of-view from God’s goodness and safety. We simply don’t think of ourselves as failing, as quitting anymore. Nor is natural or cultural disaster a point of fear.

We become part of the solution, that which brings light and peace to it, instead.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 15:13)

Photo by David Travis on Unsplash.


----------
Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com