Are You Sure?

That's not what he meant...surely!
He wasn't talking to me.
I don't think he really wants me to do that.

All of these are 'excuses' I've given when I feel like God is telling me to do something. It can be big. It can be small. It's usually something I think will be difficult for me to do-that's why I put it off or file it in the back of my brain until the next time it comes up. God has never spoken to me audibly. I've heard very few people who have claimed that he has spoken audibly to them. BUT, there are times where I know he is telling me to do certain things, and often times, I just blow him off. I was going to word that a little more gently, but I'm just telling it how it is. I ignore him. I pretend I don't know what he wants me to do and I make all kinds of excuses for putting off whatever IT is. I ignore him for a little while and then the same thing pops back up again. And I think, God, are you sure? I mean, is that really what you want me to do? Of course he's sure, he's God. He's in control of all things.

I'm not sure if any of you are like me in this way, doubting God in this way. Do I put these things off because of fear? Often times I fear what people will think of me. I fear I won't be able to do whatever it is he wants me to do, due to lack of knowledge or resources. I don't believe he will walk with me through it. I doubt that he could really want to use me to do, well, anything.

God calls ordinary people to do extraordinary things. I know this is true, but sometimes I don't live like it's true. This means he uses regular people like me to do incredible things for him-not because there's anything great about me, but because everything is great about him! God is always with me, through each step of my journey in life. This should comfort me-always-but sometimes I allow fears and anxieties to choke out this truth. These are some things I say I believe, but at times I don't really live them out in my life.

I want to encourage you, as I encourage myself at the same time: whatever it is that God is calling you to do right now, have the faith to do it. Don't question God. Don't ask him if he's sure. Don't ignore him. Just step out in faith. Believe he will guide each step, because he will.

Oh, and this post was definitely directed at myself, but maybe some of you can benefit from it as well!