Huh?

That’s why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn’t stop thanking God for you—every time I prayed, I’d think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength! – Ephesians 1:15-19 MSG

“You want me to do what?” This is usually my response to God as he asks me to once again go outside the box. It doesn’t make any sense to me most of the time. For example, I was giving a talk a few years ago and as I was going over it, the Lord impressed on my heart to share a very personal part of my life. We wrestled until 4 a.m., but you know who won. The Lord always wins one way or another. As I gave my talk, my knees were shaking as I got closer to “the part.” As I started to reveal this section of my life, one woman ran out of the room, and afterwards, three other women let me know they were going through the same thing right now and how my words gave them hope. I didn’t have a clue that these women were suffering. If one would have said she was helped, that would have been enough, but God knew all along what these women needed to hear. From this experience, my ministry has grown to women.

What are we missing when we say no to God because his call doesn’t make sense to us? As we grow to know him more intimately, we will know his voice and trust it. It will be clear to follow his direction confidently and to experience the wonderful work of his hands through us.

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the gentle and not-so-gentle nudges you give me when you are ready to do something through me. I pray for clarity that it is from you and that my answer will always be yes. Amen

Faith Tip: Do you feel the nudge of God today to do something out of the box? Pray for discernment, and if you feel it is from God, say yes.

Written by Kathy Bruins