guidance – Wannabe Christian Doorman

Have you ever found that when you try to step into something new, then “No” can be hiding just around the corner?

“No” can be a bit of a tricky thing at times.
Instead of just standing in front of us and shouting “No”, directly at us, it tries to persuade us to not bother, by as many different means as it can muster….

“Do you really want you do that?”
“You don’t know what you are doing?”
“Who are you to do that?”
“No one is going to listen, so why even bother?”
“You’re so tired, just settle down and take a break.”

The above are just a few of the many schemes that “No” tries to throw at us, and all the more so if we try to step into something that Our Heavenly Father wants us to step into.

The question then becomes, “Who are we going you listen to, “No” or Our Loving Heavenly Father?”

John 10:27-28
²⁷My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.

Will we be counted as His sheep?
Ones who hear his voice, know that it is His voice, and then follow His voice?

I’m reminded of a thought that I had some time ago. It goes….

When The Lord Our God speaks to us, then what can the easiest word be? …., No?
No means no change, no action required. No changing of our thinking. No means, no changing of the status quo, no rocking the boat or upsetting anybody.

When The Lord Our God speaks to us, then what can the hardest word be? …., Yes?
Yes could mean doing something. Yes could mean being available when you are not ready to be available, when it’s inconvenient to you. Yes could mean changing how you see or think about something. Yes could mean taking some kind of action, when you don’t quite know what it is that you are doing. Yes could mean causing upset and disruption around us. Yes can indeed be a very challenging word, when The Lord Our God asks us to do something.

What could be the consequences of replying “no” to The Lord Our God, when He asks something of us?
No change?
No movement?
Everything staying just as it is?

What could be the consequences of replying “yes” to The Lord Our God, when He asks something of us?
Change to a situation?
Breaking down of barriers that have been in place for too long?
Break through in ….. ?
His Kingdom coming here on the earth, as it is in heaven?

Where do we want to be when The Lord Our God asks us to do …….. ?
Do we Want to be saying no or yes, to The Lord our God?

If we reply with a “no”, then Our Lord God will accept our “no”.
He has given us free will, which means the freedom to choose after all.

But what if we hear Him and we want say yes to Him, but no is just throwing …… at us, then can we change our no to a yes?

I think that with His help, we can change a “no” to a “YES”.
We can ask for His help.
We could try asking,
“Lord, if this is You, then please help me to know it, that much more.
If You want me to do ….. then please give me the strength and guidance for the next step.
Help me to say Yes to You and to follow Your ways, even when I am unsure of what they are, providing that it is You that I’m following and not just my own thoughts.”

John 10:27-28
²⁷My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.

There were two men who one day decided that they were going to learn how to juggle.
They both went out and bought their juggling balls and instructions.
The first man never dropped a ball whereas the second man was constantly dropping the balls.

Now, a question for you. Which man do you think was making the most progress in trying to learn to juggle?
The first man who never dropped a ball or the second who was always dropping them?

You might think the answer is obviously the first man as he never dropped the balls.
You’d be wrong in thinking this though.
You see when you try to learn to juggle you can’t help but drop the balls. It’s all part of the learning process.

So, how did the first man never drop a ball then?

He never threw a ball up into the air in the first place.
He was too worried about dropping the ball and looking silly so he chose to not throw the ball up.
He had done all his research and got the equipment he needed but he just wouldn’t throw the ball up.

The second man however was throwing the balls up and was making progress.
Yes, he was always dropping the balls, but he just kept on picking them up and trying again.
One day he will be able to juggle.

When Father asks us to do something for him, and we know it is Father who is asking us, then we can then be like one of the two men above.

We can step out and follow His prompting to us or we can hold back, out of fear of getting it wrong.
We can try and throw the ball in the air, or we can be too concerned about dropping the ball and never throw it up.

Which one do you think Father wants us to be like?
The one who tries and sometimes gets it wrong or the one who never tries, and as such never moves on.

When we do drop the balls, (and I’m sure we all will at some point), is Father looking down at us saying, “You made a right mess of that one then.”

Or would he say, “Well done for trying.
You dropped the ball there but try not to worry about it.
Just pick it up, and try again.
I can see that you’re trying and I am well pleased with your efforts.”

Father,
Help us to follow You as You ask us to do your work.
Help us to KNOW that it is You who is asking us.
Help us to say YES to You.
Help us to not worry about getting it wrong but to just keep looking to You for our help and guidance.
Amen