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Trust, Do, Trust, Repeat
Trust, Do, Trust, Repeat
What does it mean to follow God's will and walk in the Spirit? What does the voice of the Spirit sound or feel like in our lives? Let's walk through a process that helps me understand what this looks like practically.
Show Notes:
When I entered high school, I started hearing the phrase "God's will for your life" far more often than I had before. Either that, or I started noticing it more because I was getting to the point where I would have to actually put some thought and effort into what God's will for my life was, rather than just living with my parents and doing what they told me to do. At least in my life and the way I was taught, this idea of figuring out God's will for your life was a vague, complicated, one-time deal. It involved deciding what you wanted to do for your entire career, getting a degree in that field, and living the rest of your life fulfilling that "will" of God. This was terrifying, because I recognized that I didn't know myself well enough. I didn't have enough experiences; I didn't know enough about all the possible fields of work. What if I guessed wrong and ended up living the rest of my life outside of God's will?
This is not at all the way God designed following His will to be. First of all, it's not a game of hide-and-seek, where God tries to hide His will, and we try to find it. Secondly, we are not called to figure out God's whole will for our lives. We are only called to know what God wants from us in every "now." This makes living God's will a constant dependence and conversation, rather than a one-time deal. Right now, God wants me to be podcasting, but in an hour, that could change. This means I have to be constantly in tune with God, asking and making sure that I am where I ought to be.
This step-by-step process of living every moment listening for what God wants has a name. The Bible calls it "walking in the Spirit." Galatians gives us the most content about this, though it is also obvious throughout the New Testament. Here's Galatians 5:16-26:
"I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don't do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
"Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I tell you about these things in advance—as I told you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit. We must not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another."
When Paul talks about the "works of the flesh" and "the flesh" in this passage, he's talking about our sinful nature that we were born with. The flesh is like a taskmaster that drives us to do evil, and we can see the fingerprints of this all around us in the world. That's why Paul says "the works of the flesh are obvious". When we became believers, the chain that tied us to the flesh was broken. We no longer have to follow that path, but we still have that nature inside us, encouraging us to do evil and creating in us the desire to do evil. We want it.
That's where the Holy Spirit comes in as helper. As soon as we become believers, the Holy Spirit starts to create in us the desire to do good and righteous things, things that are in direct opposition to the things of the flesh. We can't do both at the same time. That's why Paul says "walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh." If you're listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit and following the good desires He places in your heart, you won't be able to follow the flesh.
What does this look like when it's being lived out? It's that summer I talked about two weeks ago, praying every morning for the ears to hear God's voice, the eyes to see what He wanted me to do, and the courage to step out in faith to do it. When I told God every morning "I'm Yours" and spent each day looking for opportunities to serve and love other people, that was the beginning of my understanding how to live walking in the Spirit. This is because loving people—doing what is best for them, whether that is easy or hard at the time—is the most important work that we can do in this life.
It is not the only thing we do, of course. We make all kinds of decisions every day. We decide what to eat, what to wear, which way to drive to work, what to spend our money on, how much to save, whether to change jobs, and so many more things. Our entire life consists of decision after decision. When we are walking by the Spirit, we allow the Holy Spirit to have a say in each of these decisions, whether big or small. Sometimes His voice is obvious, and sometimes it's not. Sometimes it contradicts what we think is logical, and other times it makes perfect sense.
The other morning, I drove to work. There are two ways I can go that are essentially the same distance and time. I prefer to go the way that goes through town most of the time, unless it's the beginning or end of the school day. I was leaving a little later than normal, so school was already in session, but something said, "No, you still want to go the back way." I didn't really question it. I thought I just felt like a scenic drive. When I arrived at the place where my two ways to work converge, the way that goes through town was blocked off and under construction. If I'd gone that way, I would have had to drive way out of my way to get to work. "Thank you, God," I said. I listened and obeyed, and things worked out better. This is just one small story of countless times this sort of thing has happened. Sometimes it only seems to benefit me, and I take that as proof that God loves me and is looking out for me. Other times I am in the right place just in time to help someone is crisis, all because I followed a nudge God gave me.
I think "nudge" is the best way to describe how the Spirit communicates with us. You won't hear an audible voice, but you just get this sense that you should do something you weren't already planning on. The first objection to this on everyone's lips is, "How do I know if these nudges are from the Spirit and not from my sinful flesh?" A lot of people use this question as an excuse to never step outside their routine and take chances. This logic doesn't make any sense. Satan wants to keep us comfortable, under control, and not looking to do anything crazy. The Spirit wants to take us on a wild adventure of trusting and obeying God that lands us far from comfortable and "normal" and might just change the world.
On the other hand, though, there is good reason to ask the question. Sometimes the nudges of the flesh and those of the Spirit do look similar. If you're having trouble discerning, ask yourself a few questions. 1) Is this directly in violation of anything I know God has commanded? 2) Why do I feel I should do this? Will I be getting recognition or will God? 3) Why do I feel I should not do this? Am I afraid of something?
It is a good rule of thumb that any time you are making a hard decision and there is good logic on both sides, you should examine your feelings. If you can sense pride or fear or other sinful desires on one side of the equation, pulling you that direction, chances are good that's the wrong option.
If you've determined the nudge is from God, follow through as fast as you can. Don't miss the opportunity. Don't wait until it makes sense. You are not all-knowing; God is. I have watched so many chances to step out and do what God wants me to slip by because I was scared of looking like a fool. You have to trust God to know what He's doing in your life, the lives of those around you, and the world. Trust His sovereignty.
I invented a little saying to help remind me how the process of walking in the Spirit works—trust, do, trust, repeat. First, we trust that God knows what He is doing and isn't just asking us to do things on a whim. God is not like a young prince or cruel king who plays with his subjects for the fun of it. Everything has a purpose. We are also trusting that God will provide the strength to do what He is asking. Second, we do what it is God is telling us to do. Third, we trust that God will use our actions—which are now in the past—for our good and His glory, whatever they were and however well we did or didn't follow through on what we felt we should have done. This keeps us from second-guessing the past or feeling guilty for what we did or didn't do. If we've sinned against God, we should always confess it and aim not to do it again, but this second trust helps keep us from living in that place of guilt and shame after we've confessed. It allows us to move on. And finally, we repeat. We continue to listen for the next thing God is going to ask of us. This is what it means to walk in the Spirit and to do the will of God.
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By Hannah Rebekah
5
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Trust, Do, Trust, Repeat
What does it mean to follow God's will and walk in the Spirit? What does the voice of the Spirit sound or feel like in our lives? Let's walk through a process that helps me understand what this looks like practically.
Show Notes:
When I entered high school, I started hearing the phrase "God's will for your life" far more often than I had before. Either that, or I started noticing it more because I was getting to the point where I would have to actually put some thought and effort into what God's will for my life was, rather than just living with my parents and doing what they told me to do. At least in my life and the way I was taught, this idea of figuring out God's will for your life was a vague, complicated, one-time deal. It involved deciding what you wanted to do for your entire career, getting a degree in that field, and living the rest of your life fulfilling that "will" of God. This was terrifying, because I recognized that I didn't know myself well enough. I didn't have enough experiences; I didn't know enough about all the possible fields of work. What if I guessed wrong and ended up living the rest of my life outside of God's will?
This is not at all the way God designed following His will to be. First of all, it's not a game of hide-and-seek, where God tries to hide His will, and we try to find it. Secondly, we are not called to figure out God's whole will for our lives. We are only called to know what God wants from us in every "now." This makes living God's will a constant dependence and conversation, rather than a one-time deal. Right now, God wants me to be podcasting, but in an hour, that could change. This means I have to be constantly in tune with God, asking and making sure that I am where I ought to be.
This step-by-step process of living every moment listening for what God wants has a name. The Bible calls it "walking in the Spirit." Galatians gives us the most content about this, though it is also obvious throughout the New Testament. Here's Galatians 5:16-26:
"I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don't do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
"Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I tell you about these things in advance—as I told you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit. We must not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another."
When Paul talks about the "works of the flesh" and "the flesh" in this passage, he's talking about our sinful nature that we were born with. The flesh is like a taskmaster that drives us to do evil, and we can see the fingerprints of this all around us in the world. That's why Paul says "the works of the flesh are obvious". When we became believers, the chain that tied us to the flesh was broken. We no longer have to follow that path, but we still have that nature inside us, encouraging us to do evil and creating in us the desire to do evil. We want it.
That's where the Holy Spirit comes in as helper. As soon as we become believers, the Holy Spirit starts to create in us the desire to do good and righteous things, things that are in direct opposition to the things of the flesh. We can't do both at the same time. That's why Paul says "walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh." If you're listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit and following the good desires He places in your heart, you won't be able to follow the flesh.
What does this look like when it's being lived out? It's that summer I talked about two weeks ago, praying every morning for the ears to hear God's voice, the eyes to see what He wanted me to do, and the courage to step out in faith to do it. When I told God every morning "I'm Yours" and spent each day looking for opportunities to serve and love other people, that was the beginning of my understanding how to live walking in the Spirit. This is because loving people—doing what is best for them, whether that is easy or hard at the time—is the most important work that we can do in this life.
It is not the only thing we do, of course. We make all kinds of decisions every day. We decide what to eat, what to wear, which way to drive to work, what to spend our money on, how much to save, whether to change jobs, and so many more things. Our entire life consists of decision after decision. When we are walking by the Spirit, we allow the Holy Spirit to have a say in each of these decisions, whether big or small. Sometimes His voice is obvious, and sometimes it's not. Sometimes it contradicts what we think is logical, and other times it makes perfect sense.
The other morning, I drove to work. There are two ways I can go that are essentially the same distance and time. I prefer to go the way that goes through town most of the time, unless it's the beginning or end of the school day. I was leaving a little later than normal, so school was already in session, but something said, "No, you still want to go the back way." I didn't really question it. I thought I just felt like a scenic drive. When I arrived at the place where my two ways to work converge, the way that goes through town was blocked off and under construction. If I'd gone that way, I would have had to drive way out of my way to get to work. "Thank you, God," I said. I listened and obeyed, and things worked out better. This is just one small story of countless times this sort of thing has happened. Sometimes it only seems to benefit me, and I take that as proof that God loves me and is looking out for me. Other times I am in the right place just in time to help someone is crisis, all because I followed a nudge God gave me.
I think "nudge" is the best way to describe how the Spirit communicates with us. You won't hear an audible voice, but you just get this sense that you should do something you weren't already planning on. The first objection to this on everyone's lips is, "How do I know if these nudges are from the Spirit and not from my sinful flesh?" A lot of people use this question as an excuse to never step outside their routine and take chances. This logic doesn't make any sense. Satan wants to keep us comfortable, under control, and not looking to do anything crazy. The Spirit wants to take us on a wild adventure of trusting and obeying God that lands us far from comfortable and "normal" and might just change the world.
On the other hand, though, there is good reason to ask the question. Sometimes the nudges of the flesh and those of the Spirit do look similar. If you're having trouble discerning, ask yourself a few questions. 1) Is this directly in violation of anything I know God has commanded? 2) Why do I feel I should do this? Will I be getting recognition or will God? 3) Why do I feel I should not do this? Am I afraid of something?
It is a good rule of thumb that any time you are making a hard decision and there is good logic on both sides, you should examine your feelings. If you can sense pride or fear or other sinful desires on one side of the equation, pulling you that direction, chances are good that's the wrong option.
If you've determined the nudge is from God, follow through as fast as you can. Don't miss the opportunity. Don't wait until it makes sense. You are not all-knowing; God is. I have watched so many chances to step out and do what God wants me to slip by because I was scared of looking like a fool. You have to trust God to know what He's doing in your life, the lives of those around you, and the world. Trust His sovereignty.
I invented a little saying to help remind me how the process of walking in the Spirit works—trust, do, trust, repeat. First, we trust that God knows what He is doing and isn't just asking us to do things on a whim. God is not like a young prince or cruel king who plays with his subjects for the fun of it. Everything has a purpose. We are also trusting that God will provide the strength to do what He is asking. Second, we do what it is God is telling us to do. Third, we trust that God will use our actions—which are now in the past—for our good and His glory, whatever they were and however well we did or didn't follow through on what we felt we should have done. This keeps us from second-guessing the past or feeling guilty for what we did or didn't do. If we've sinned against God, we should always confess it and aim not to do it again, but this second trust helps keep us from living in that place of guilt and shame after we've confessed. It allows us to move on. And finally, we repeat. We continue to listen for the next thing God is going to ask of us. This is what it means to walk in the Spirit and to do the will of God.