That Still, Small Voice

Over the last 6 months or so, I have been learning to discern between what I sometimes believe are passing thoughts and what I believe is God speaking to me and asking me to obey. Trying to decipher that still, small voice inside can be quite difficult sometimes. I only say it is small because if it were a nice smack in the face--a huge check in the spirit--it would just be too easy! Instead, I am left trying to decide what I believe my mind and soul are saying to me.





Several weeks ago, I felt very strongly that I was to give a neighbor of mine, who had been going through a rough year, a card. In this case, the thought popped into my heart and when the idea kept coming to me during the span of just a few days, I quickly realized that that was what I was supposed to do. However, shortly thereafter, I concluded that a card was to be placed in my neighbor's storm door, a specific date for which I was supposed to do so kept coming to mind. And as this date was amongst a slue of other important dates and hectic time frame for me, as well as it was a few weeks away, I wanted to explain my reasons for why another earlier date would be more fitting because why was I to wait a few weeks anyways... I should go and do it right away and obey quickly. Right...? I mean these are fast moving times to say the least? Waiting is just unheard of! Anyways... the date kept coming to mind and I soon realized that if I was going to make excuses for this particular duty on that particular day, then most likely it was God laying it upon my heart and I was to obey.





As the day arrived, Scot learned that amongst my busy schedule I was going to drop by Hallmark to pick up this card for our neighbor. He remarked that I didn't have to give the card that day and I could do it all on a different day. I looked up at Scot and plainly said, "No, today is the day I am supposed to give the card." I got the card. Wrote what I believed what God was telling me to write and walked it up to my neighbor's house while she was at work. I rested it against her main door and I closed the storm door and I walked away. A few weeks later, when I was outside with my crew, my neighbor came over to me and said "Thank you for the card. I really needed it that day, because that was the one year anniversary of my mother's death."





Now I am not saying this to brag. I am simply stating why it is important to listen and obey when you hear that still, small voice. When something keeps coming to mind, pay closer attention to those thoughts because it may be more than just a simple passing thought. For example, a few weeks ago a totally random face popped into my head. It was someone who I am not friends with at all to say the least. I don't even really know her. I have only been around her a handful of times because she has been a friend to someone near and close to me. Only at certain holiday gatherings and birthday parties that our mutual buddy would put on would we actually see each other and talk a little bit. Other than that, she had absolutely no reason to pop into my thoughts. Well, when this particular person popped into my head one day and when her relationship with that person whom I know came to mind, I just tried to tell myself it must have been a fleeting, passing thought, because I didn't really have any knowledge about their friendship and to be honest with you I never believed it was any of my business as well. But I was puzzled as to why their relationship came to mind. I kept telling myself it must have been a random thought. I don't know the one gal and I didn't really care anything about her friendship with the other person.



Well, about two weeks later, I was on the phone with the person whom I have a direct relationship with, when she told me about how this other person had acted and treated her; and briefly discussed a few of the hurtful things that she had said to her. She told me how she lost sleep over their friendship and how this person's actions had affected her. Then my heart sank, because everything went down with her friend around the time her friend had come to my mind. I am not sure if the outcome would have been much different if I had taken the time to pray, but I figure that if I had taken the time that I spent trying to come up with reasons as to why this person had crossed my mind to pray instead, may be the affects of it all would not have been quite so great.





So now, my rule of thumb is simply this--if you have to spend any moment or thought trying to explain the thought away, then most likely you are being prompted by God to obey. And when it comes to praying for someone, just taking a few short minutes is all that God could be asking of you.