Do You See God’s Guidance as an Interruption? What Do Your Actions Show?

Sometimes we see guidance and an interruption without realizing it. Sometimes we do this with God. 

I repeated myself for the third time. “Rachel, put that down. Come and sit.” She nodded, yet remained standing. A far-off look in her eyes told me she may have heard, but she certainly wasn’t listening.

The iPad-mini audiobook had fully captured her attention. My request was merely a distraction.

Welcome Guidance or an Interruption

Hmm, I wonder how often God tries to get my attention, to guide me, and I see it as Rachel saw my request: a distraction? I shudder to think I’d treat the Lord with such flippancy. Yet I know at times I do. And I don’t believe I’m the only one.

• We run headlong with a pet project, failing to heed the cost it is having on our family life.
• We march forward with championing a position with little regard to who we take down, realizing too late the people we are hurting.
• We push our children into activities we enjoy, oblivious to how God gifted them.
• We let our feelings override commonsense and right living, only to get mired deep in a relationship we should never be in. 

None of these things happen in the life of a Christian without the Holy Spirit trying to intervene. We simply choose to turn a deaf ear to Him. We swat Him away like a pesky fly. Or give Him a nod while maintaining our self-focus. 

To Rach at that moment, my guidance was an interruption, preventing her from enjoying her book. Do we see God’s attempts to guide, encourage, and teach us as interruptions as well? 

What Do Our Actions Show?

We may not think we do, but what do our actions show?

• Do we react in frustration when the agent says not yet, stiffening our resolve when the doors begin closing?
• Do we turn a blind eye to our spouse’s pained expression over something we said?
• Do we shame our children when they express interest in participating in an activity we find boring?
• Do we try to justify a behavior we know is wrong?

or

• Do we pray, reassess our situation, and ask for God’s validation before moving forward on a project?
• Do we seek to engage in gracious and loving dialogue and expression of our beliefs, all the while trying to understand the other person’s point of view? 
• Do we support our children’s attempts to find their gifting (within reasonable guidelines), even if it differs from our own (and even if it nauseates us)?
• Do we seek wise counsel from a godly friend, pastor, or counselor? 

We won’t always make wise decisions. We won’t always use the most gracious words to make a point.

But God has given us wisdom: in His Word, in prayer, in the gentle nudging and prompting of the Holy Spirit, in the counsel of godly men and women around us. He’s given us all the guidance we need. 

Focus Matters?

However, we have to quit focusing so intently on what we want and instead focus on the One who makes everything possible.

• Instead of looking at His guidance as a hindrance, we need to start looking at it as the place to begin. 
• Instead of seeing prayer or time in the Word as interruptions to our well-laid plans, we need to begin seeing them as the foundation of any plan. 

We make wise decisions when we seek the help of the Holy Spirit. When we ask for eyes to see and ears to hear.

The Lord will guide us on the right path. When we listen and not simply hear, see and not merely look, ask and receive the answer He gives, we’ll be that much closer to staying on it. 

The Lord will guide us on the right path. When we listen and not simply hear, see and not merely look, ask and receive the answer He gives, we'll be that much closer to staying on it. Click To Tweet

The Holy Spirit will teach, guide, and remind us. But will we listen? 

“But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit—the Father will send Him in My name—will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.” John 14:26 

Reflections: Is there an area in your life that you are hearing God but not really listening, too focused on your own desires to note His guidance? What’s one thing you can do today to begin refocusing?