SHUTTING OUT THE NOISE
Kendra Intihar
Today's Scripture: “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” Jude 1:24-25, ESV
Theme: Doing what God has called us to while avoiding negativity is made possible, not by our own strength or authority, but in His.
BOUNDARIES
How are your boundaries? Do you have guardrails around how you will be treated? Or how you allow people to speak into your life? Or even WHO you let speak into your life?
I was born a people-pleaser, and I have spent the entirety of my adult years unlearning the terrible habit of doing what suits everyone else. Is that you? Maybe you and I can find some liberty together in the Word of God today.
MINDING HIS BUSINESS
The Bible was written to tell us the story of the family of God and the many ways He has called people – the least “worthy” people – to be a part of His very good plans. Time and time again, we see that the people in the Bible who were criticized, belittled, laughed at, and ignored become the very people that participate wholeheartedly in God’s plans.
Jesus, Himself, is the best example of this. While everyone else in the Bible had setbacks and mess-ups, Jesus knew His mission and was singularly focused on doing what He knew had to be done. He silenced or ignored His critics and doubters, and He went about doing His Father’s business.
Matthew 9 is full of moments when Jesus did the opposite of what people thought He could or should do. He forgave and healed the paralyzed man, dined with sinners, did not always fast, raised a girl from the dead, and drove out demons. In fact, nearly every time Jesus performed a miracle, someone was nearby to tell Him He was doing it wrong. Imagine!
Consider the way He dared His accusers to question His intention to heal on the Sabbath (Mark 3:1-4). “And he said to them, ‘Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?’ But they were silent” (Mark 3:4, ESV). Jesus keeps moving to do what God has called Him to do and heals the withered hand.
When Peter struck Malchus, slicing off his ear, Jesus rebuked and corrected Him. Peter thought he was doing the right thing, but violent problem solving not part of God’s plan. Jesus quickly resolved the problem by asking them to stop and healing Malchus. (Luke 22:49-51).
God’s plan for this world begins and ends with Jesus Christ and His unending love for us. He still invites us to participate in what He is doing in the lives of those around us. Just like Moses and Deborah and Ruth and Samuel and David; just like John and Paul and Priscilla and Timothy and Lydia…God would love to work with our imperfect-but-obedient hands and hearts to minister to a hurting world. This obedience without distraction will draw them into His perfect love.
But…when we make ourselves available to God and the work He is doing in this world, we also open ourselves up to criticism, eye rolls, naysayers, and negativity. This can come from all directions – even from people who love us and think they know what’s best (remember Peter and Malchus?). In fact, our friends and family can be among our biggest detractors, even if they don’t mean to be.
DISCERNMENT AND WISE COUNCIL
When God calls us to a task or purpose, we need to be aware of who is telling us we’re doing it wrong – or worse – that we shouldn’t do it at all. Negativity has plagued God’s people since the first pages of Scripture, and it continues to follow us today. But if we are surrounded by wise council and we are listening to the direction of the Holy Spirit, we can stay in God’s purpose for us.
We aren’t Jesus, so sometimes we’re going to get this wrong. As a people-pleaser, it is easy for me to fall into the trap of shushing the Holy Spirit’s direction and listening to dissenting voices. I need to pause to pray and consider whether or they’re speaking with godly wisdom or out of their own ideas. The best way I have found to determine which voice I should be listening to is to become (and stay) intimate with God’s word, to pray for discernment, and to consider whether the voice is keeping me away from God or seeking to move me forward in obedience. God is so faithful to respond when we seek Him.
Make it Personal: Ask God for the gift of discernment. He gives so generously to us when we ask for wisdom to know Him better and grow in obedience to Him. Focus on the work God has prepared for you, ignoring unfounded criticism, shutting out the “noise,” and running the race set before you.
Pray: Father, help me to walk in the way You would have me go. Help me to listen to Your voice and Your call on my life. Help me not to demand my rights, but to stand up for the things that You tell me to take on or defend, to accomplish Your purposes in my life without apology. In Your Name I pray. Amen.
Read: Hebrews 12:1-3; James 1:5; Romans 12:2
Weekly Memory Verse:
“Then he said to me, ‘This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.’” Zechariah 4:6, ESV