Lately I have found myself focusing extra hard on hearing God's Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit, perhaps more than I ever have in my life. The results have been powerful for me personally. I am seeing things and thinking about spiritual things in a way I can't really explain other than to say that there is no question in my mind that God is indeed speaking to me through the Bible and his Holy Spirit.
Today I spent some time reading Acts 21, where Paul is leaving Miletus with the ultimate goal of reaching Jerusalem. For some reason, Paul feels a driving need to get back to that city and realizes that a warm reception by the Jews is not likely. Along the way Paul is confronted by believers in two different locations. Their message for him was to avoid Jerusalem because bad things were waiting for him there. Scripture makes it clear that the people telling Paul not to go back to Jerusalem were being led by the Spirit. Paul never really argues with them, he hears their message, but he is determined to go back anyway - and he does. Paul was hearing the message, but he wasn't listening!
This thought has been burning in my head all day since reading that passage: Perhaps I am hearing God's Word and His Holy Spirit speak to me right now, but I have to ask myself, "am I really listening?"
There have been so many times in my life that I have wanted to follow God's lead and do the right things, but missed the mark because I heard the message without really listening to it. It is so easy to see good and Godly things to do with your life and to pursue those things without really listening to God tell you where HE wants to use you.
Maybe you're thinking about a new job or a major financial investment or commitment. Maybe your dealing with issues in a relationship or in raising your children. Maybe you have a major decision that needs to be made. There are a multitude of "good" options to choose from in most decisions we make in life. The real question is whether or not you are really LISTENING to God's leadership in that decision.
It is hard to judge whether or not Paul made a mistake or was "wrong" in going back to Jerusalem, but one thing seems clear to me - this was one time that Paul wasn't really listening to God very well.
There is a big difference between doing "good" things on your own compared with doing "right" things under God's direction and leadership. I believe the difference between "good" and "right" is similar to the difference between hearing and listening.
It is great that I am hearing God in my life right now, but Acts 21 really made me think about whether or not I am really listening at the same time. I don't just want to make good decisions and do good things for God. I want to listen to Him and be right in the MIDDLE of what He has planned and how He wants to use me.
Are you hearing God? More importantly, are you LISTENING to Him?
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