Pablo Casals was considered the greatest cellist to ever live. When he was 95 years old he was asked why he continued to practice 6 hours a day. He answered, “Because I think I’m making progress.” (Source: Your Road Map for Success, John Maxwell)
Until God calls us home to heaven, we still have work to do. We still have room to grow spiritually and deepen our relationship with Him. Deepen your relationship with God with following Paul’s lead in practicing these 3 keys for living life as a child of God.
1. GOD’S LEADING
Nurture a Sensitive Heart to God’s Leading (16:6b, 7b, 10)
Paul understood the Lord would not allow him to preach in Asia right now. Perhaps there were physical obstacles not mentioned or just a lack of peace in Paul’s heart. Nonetheless, Paul did not go to Asia.
Hebrews 12:1 admonishes Christians to “Lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us.” Many times, those weights are simple distractions that create enormous drag. One preacher illustrated it this way: “It’s perfectly legal to run a race in army boots.” He said it wasn’t wise and would guarantee failure, but you can legally do it. Many of the things that prevent spiritual growth and development are legal, they just don’t lead to successful Christian living. (Source: The Last Men’s Book You’ll Ever Need, David Moore)
We will often ask the wrong question when considering God’s will. When we ask -- “What’s wrong with it?” – the answer can sometimes be, NOTHING! In other words, the choice itself isn’t wicked or sinful. The issue may simply be that what you seek to pursue just isn’t God’s plan for you right now…and that’s what makes it wrong for you. This means we need to take purposeful steps to develop sensitive hearts to God’s leading in our lives! Consider these four ways to develop a sensitive heart for God:
Pursue regular time with God.
Psalm 1:2; 119:9-11, 105
Early African converts to Christianity were earnest and regular in private devotions. Each one reportedly had a separate spot in the thicket where he would pour out his heart to God. Over time the paths to these places became well worn. As a result, if one of these believers began to neglect prayer, it was soon apparent to the others. They would kindly remind the negligent one, “Brother, the grass grows on your path.” (Source: Today in the Word)
Is the place where you read the Bible and pray worn or thread bare? Many may not see your personal devotional spot, but the evidence will be clear in you all day long.
Be careful what you let past your ear & eye gates.
Prov. 4:23; James 4:17
Veterans who have seen combat on foreign fields, police officers who have witnessed the horrific outcomes of crimes or car accidents, and abuse victims are a few examples of those who can often suffer years of trauma after seeing or experiencing one event. They often repeat those unwanted events in their minds over and over again. They will struggle to find ways to remove those memories so that they will find peace.
Be careful what you purposely view and listen to, my friend. You can never unsee what you choose to view. Once seen, it is in your mind and the cultivation/nurturing process can potentially begin. Pleasure hormones can begin to trigger a desire for more of the wrong thing. Accidental exposure is one time. Purposeful exposure is repeated. Guarding your heart is really that important!
Guard how friends influence you.
I Cor. 15:33; Prov. 27:17; Heb. 10:24
“Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence.”
– George Washington
“My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.”
– Henry Ford
Rehearse truth and reject counterfeits.
Prov. 23:7; Phil. 4:8; II Cor. 10:5
We as believers will often cultivate and nurture destructive thoughts and become our own enemy. Thoughts of loneliness, fear, anxiety, worry, envy, and immorality are more often the companions of the believer’s mind than we want to admit. In Dr. Jim Schettler’s book, "Victory: A Seven-Step Strategy for Resisting Temptation and Overcoming Sin,” he makes the case for the “4 second rule.” It goes like this: we cannot always choose what happens to pop into our mind, but we can choose to cast it out or help it grow. So, if a thought pops into your mind that is full of fear, worry, anxiety, envy, immorality (etc.) – choose to replace it with scripture and prayer within 4 seconds or less. Do not delay in taking action!
The thoughts we rehearse are game changers! Our thoughts feed our desires…our desires form our choices…our choices mold our habits…and our habits declares our character. The battle for deeper relationship with God truly begins in the mind!
If you truly want a life that makes an impact in this world, begin with making an impact on your relationship with God and cultivate a sensitive heart to God’s leading.