Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
The things God has planted in your heart are important, and if you sense a burden to fulfill them, then you need to pick up the challenge. I was talking with my publisher Clay, and he is concerned that he is working too much in the areas that are not as important as what God had sown in his heart to do and accomplish within the Lord’s Kingdom. That is something we all need to be concerned about. As my friend Jami Rogers explains it, “We have been given an allotted amount of time on this earth to fulfill the story God is telling about Himself through us.” Christ who lives within our hearts, is shepherding us toward what God the Father created us to be, and fulfill. We can only do this with Jesus at the helm of our hearts. Acts 17:28a For in Him we live, and move, and have our being.
A lot of Christians are struggling with what they perceive as not having a vision from or for God. They seem to believe there has to be a burning-bush experience or a thunderclap attention-getter, thinking this is how God communicates His desires. The Holy Spirit speaks through a still small voice and in heartfelt impressions. Sometimes God will simply give you an impression of wanting to be a blessing in a certain situation, but because we mistakenly think that we will be inconvenienced or the person will reject our offer, we put off what was just on our heart as a fleeting feeling, and we start wondering if we did hear from God.
I was walking out of a hardware store and a heavy rain began to fall. There is a bus stop right near the parking lot I was parked in, and there was a blind man who I recognized standing and getting wet while waiting for a bus. The thing on my heart was that I should offer him a ride and as I was thinking this thought, the clear soft voice of the Lord said, “Offer him a ride to where he is going.” Here is the rub. I felt I should do it and there was a strong conviction to offer the ride but I was supposed to be at a bank appointment in fifteen minutes. My heart was saying to offer help but my mind was wrestling because of a possible inconvenience to me time-wise.
The quiet voice of God prevailed and I asked the man if he needed a ride. He thanked me for the offer and told me where he was going. I said, “Hey I’m headed in that direction.” I smiled and repented to God for having thoughts about this man being an inconvenience. The fact was that the blind man was going to the bank across the street from the one I was going to. Yeah, I felt a bit foolish because the thing in my heart was to give this man some help but I started getting distracted from what God had sown within me because I started second-guessing God’s request by allowing selfishness to make the bank appointment more important. No lightning flashes or trumpet sounds from heaven declaring to the world God had asked me to do something for Him. Just a still small voice putting a desire in my heart to help. 1Kings 19:12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13a So it was, when Elijah heard it.
We can see the immediate effect that Jesus’ words had on the disciple’s hearts. Jesus walked by them and after speaking these simple words, “Follow me,” caused the disciples to respond right at that moment. There are things of God and desires that show up in our hearts that cause us to search out the depth of what the Holy Spirit is sowing within us. It is as if Jesus had just walked by and said, “These are the things you are going to want to do and will find fulfilling pleasure in them, therefore, guard your heart so that you can hear My voice clearly.” Prov. 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
How did Jesus find out what was on His Heavenly Father’s heart? What allowed Jesus to keep saying that He and the Father were one and on the same page? Through prayer, Jesus chose the apostles out of the disciples who were following Him. Luke 6:12 During those days he went out to the mountain to pray and spent all night in prayer to God. 13 When daylight came, he summoned his disciples, and he chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles. There came a day when the disciples would have to do what was on their hearts and commit fully to the calling that had been placed within them. It is the same for us. We start walking with the Lord because we responded to God’s love and we became born again. Then, as we mature in Christ, through obedient prayer to our Heavenly Father, we begin to understand and keep the things God has placed in our hearts. May we all respond with peace to what God is leading our hearts to do, and who we are to be in Him. Blessings.
Christian entrepreneurs and missionaries may have a few similarities when it comes to focusing on the things of the heart which led us to where we are at. Assuming we are in Christ, then we are doing his will but the difficulty comes when sales drop, donations go down or government regulations and other road blocks prevail. Regardless whether the roadblock or drop in sales is our own fault or something else, we have to make tuff decisions and alter our path. As a Christian entrepreneur, I have often altered my course too drastically. Somewhat like oversteering. Getting off course or oversteering for me has happened because I am too impatient and have not listened enough. Act they say! Do it now! Well sometimes I have to wait. God give me patience, wisdom and help me in this Kingdom work I pray!
Good thoughts Clay.
True, sometimes we just need to wait on what God wants.
Encouraging word Norm!
Thank you for this important reminder. I needed this.