Responding to God

HAVE YOU noticed God puts you on the podium when you dislike the limelight?

When you struggle to love, you meet ungrateful people.

When you pray for patience, you encounter a delay.

And when you are lazy about praying, you find yourself in situations that force you to pray.

God does this to make you learn.

He teaches you by doing because he wants you to respond to him with every fabric of your being.

JESUS’ DISCIPLES had seen John the Baptist teach his disciples how to pray, so they asked Jesus to do the same.

He told them, When you pray, say, “Our Father, who art in heaven. Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Luke 11 verse 2)

You learn to pray by praying. Likewise, you learn to trust God as you trust Him.

PETER LEARNT trusting Jesus when he told him to cast his net.

Master, we worked hard all night [to the point of exhaustion] and caught nothing [in our nets], but at Your word, I will [do as you say and] lower the nets [again].”

He did not stop at what he experienced; he followed the Master’s instructions.

When they lowered the net, they caught so many fish that it broke.

When Simon Peter saw this, he fell to Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (Luke 5 verses 1-10)

He realized that his place in revelation was his point in definition.

MOSES REALIZED the same thing when he turned to see the burning bush—and God called him from the midst of it.

He helped Moses to find a sacred place in his difficulty and turn adversity into greatness. (Exodus 3)

God will help you find your sacred place during your difficult times.

Just like Moses, God wants you to have a place to meet with Him—this is how you respond to Him.

Many died when DAVID numbered his soldiers and the prophet told him to build an altar.

He built an altar, offered peace and burnt offerings, and God answered his prayers. (2 Samuel 24 verses 18-25)

Prayers are not tools for doing or getting but for being and becoming—Eugene Peterson.

YOUR ALTAR, or place of prayer, is where you interact with God.

He does not want you to react but to respond to Him.

The difference between responding and reacting is that you're prepared for one, while the other catches you unawares.

The first is well thought out. The second is on a whim.

FOR EXAMPLE, David reacted to Nabal's insults. He took his sword with four hundred men to go and kill him.

However, he responded to Abigail’s plea by accepting her gift and changing his mind. (1 Samuel 25 verses 4-35)

The YOUNG PROPHET sent to curse the altar responded to God by going.

However, he reacted to the old prophet’s suggestion by staying back. (1 Kings 13:11-25)

ESAU reacted to hunger pangs by giving away his birthright without thinking. (Genesis 25 verses 29-34)

God wants you to be careful how you respond to things.

IT SEEMED right when David wept with his men, but his tears did not go far. His men wanted to stone him.

However, David encouraged himself in the Lord. He worshipped, and God gave him instructions. (1 Samuel 30 verses 1-8)

The moment you return to God, you respond appropriately to your situation.

PAUL GAINED a new perspective on God’s grace when he begged for the thorn in his flesh to be removed.

And God said, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.”

My prayer for you this week is that you'll find your sacred place so you can respond to God.

Final Thought

YOU DON’T need God to respond to you; you need to learn to respond to God—Andrew Wommack.