Dave’s Monday Blast – May 8, 2023

I don’t listen to the radio much anymore. It must be an age thing because I just don’t appreciate most of the music, nor the talk shows, or the reception can be of poor quality. Every once in a while though I catch a bit of something that I really want to tune in with clarity.

Discovering what God intends for me as I walk through this life is an example of something I know that I need to be clearly tuned to.  As INTENTIONAL men of God, we are all familiar with the phrase God’s will, and of course all of us desire to live our lives according to His will and ways. The intouch.org May devotional speaks into this issue: “It’s often mentioned in the context of His having a will for each believer, or of our doing His will, walking in His will, and the like. If we love the Lord, then certainly we want to obey Him (John 14:15). But let’s take a look at some of the reasons we might miss His plan for our life.” Meaning, there are reasons why we are missing His plan for our lives. Sometimes it is because we simply stopped tuning in, or we no longer appreciate the message; we disagree with it or don’t understand its meaning or value. The following is certainly not an exhaustive study, but I find being out of tune in these areas distorts the message.

1. Improperly handling of the Word of God. We must have a steady intake of the Word. Without it we tend to forget what matters to Him. We tend to use Scripture to support decisions that we have already made. Or, when God’s Word does not match what we want, we might ignore it and do things our way.

2. Selecting the wrong guide. When making decisions, we sometimes rely too heavily on the opinions of others. I would not say we should never consult others, but consultation with the Lord through His Word will allow the Spirit to teach you. Seek this avenue first.

3. Making decisions relative to our emotions. It is a natural human emotion to move away from pain, but the truth is that move often also moves us away from the Lord. We are focused upon ourselves instead of His plan. Biblical wisdom says to run to the Father and fall into His grace.

4. Focusing only on the immediate. Our short-term focus prevents us from seeing the Lord’s long-term purposes. We tend to believe that this situation could not possibly be His will.

5. Use a study approach that is superficial or clinical.  Don’t treat the discovery of His will as a checklist as we read, pray, serve and give.This can result in neglecting to give God the time and stillness needed for us to hear from Him (Psalm 46:10). It is more than just investing the time with Him; listening without distraction is also essential.

We might ask the questions: How long do I read the Word or how often? For how long do I pray and what template do I follow?
The answer is simple: Whatever it takes to hear from Him. He will ALWAYS answer His children.