Simon Says...

This morning I woke up pondering things in my heart.  The Lord brought the game “Simon Says” to mind and told me to blog about it.  You know, the childhood game where one person is Simon.  If Simon says, “Simon says to touch your nose,” then you must touch your nose.  However, if Simon says, “Touch your nose,” but doesn’t say, “Simon says” and you touch your nose anyway then you are out.  Well, this isn’t new revelation to me but the Lord was speaking to me through this game.  If you put God in place of Simon in the game and God says to do something, you should do it.  If God doesn’t say to do something, don’t do it.  As a child playing this game, I would almost always get out if I tuned out what Simon was saying and just watched the actions of others.

The Lord was speaking to me about this and how we must listen to His voice for direction and not allow others to influence our actions or decisions.  He absolutely can speak wisdom through others, but I have learned to always take what is spoken to me to the Lord to process it with Him and “throw out the chaff”.  In Psalm 1:4 it talks about the wicked being worthless chaff, but the Lord was applying this particular concept to some situations we’ve been experiencing.  For those that aren’t familiar, chaff is the outer shell (or husk) that must be removed to get at the valuable kernels of grain inside.  Chaff was removed by a process called threshing and winnowing.  After the plants were cut, they were crushed, and then the pieces were thrown into the air.  Chaff is very light and is carried away by even the slightest wind, while the good grain falls back to the earth.  Chaff is a symbol of a faithless life that drifts along without direction.  Good grain is a symbol of a faithful life that can be used by God.  Unlike grain, however, we can choose the direction we will take.

In the last few months, we’ve allowed ourselves to be “carried away” by good opportunities, choosing to set aside some internal checks we were having and going after what seemed like the logical path.  One day the Lord spoke to me clearly and said, “What seems like the logical answer is not MY answer.”  I am constantly pondering Proverbs 3:5 in my mind and heart, “Trust the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”  Before any steps were taken I was sensing some things in my spirit about direction for our family.  In sharing those things with Josh, he heard me but didn’t take those things to heart or ask the Lord if He was in it or not.  Instead, he chose to follow what made logical sense to him.  In the end, I chose to submit to my husband because I wanted to honor him and be in unity.  We are aware of where we went wrong, and in hindsight Josh has learned that he shouldn’t have ignored the checks I was having.  I have also learned not to waiver or treat nonchalantly the wisdom the Lord imparts to me.  We continue to walk through this journey of life, continually being humbled by the Lord’s “teaching” opportunities.

When the Lord gives you a specific task, keep your gaze focused on Him and don’t be tossed to and fro by others’ opinions or exciting opportunities that come but aren’t doors you’re supposed to walk through.  There’s no need to question the “why’s” behind it – simply trust God because He sees the bigger picture.  When you begin to second guess the Lord, the spirit of doubt and confusion enters in and clouds your vision.  We know we have heard the Lord clearly on specific dreams and tasks He has given us, but it’s important that we get the timing right and not get ahead of Him.  Someone shared a testimony with me the other day, and I believe the Lord prompted him to share it with me at just the right time without him even knowing about our situation and challenges we were facing – and it all happened through casual conversation.  The Lord spoke to this couple a year ago that they needed to find a new house.  As they began looking, one would find a house that the other didn’t like and vice-versa.  Then they found a house that they both really liked.  That weekend (Saturday) they were going to purchase the house, but it turned out that someone else purchased it the day before they were supposed to.  At that point they gave up on searching and began wondering if maybe they heard the Lord wrong because it didn’t happen the way they expected or when they expected it.  A year later the word that the Lord gave them about finding a new house began manifesting and it’s happening with such ease and favor….all in His timing.

He has spoken to us (even our kids) through words and pictures/visions, confirming that we have done the right thing by slowing things down and staying true to the things He’s put on our hearts to do.  And, YES, that means saying no to other good opportunities that may come our way so that we will be available for God’s BEST opportunities to serve out His purposes through us.  One word of advice in the “waiting” is to keep your love on and protect your relationship with Him!  The enemy would love nothing more than to steal those things from you.  You can pursue dreams that God has given you, but if you turn off your love towards anyone during your journey when obstacles come, it means nothing [1 Corinthians13].

There is this incredible song by Kelanie Goeckler called, "Let Go Now."  I would highly recommend you take the time to listen to it right now as it carries a great anointing from the Holy Spirit.  The lyrics are extremely powerful and clearly convey what is going on in the hearts of me and Josh.  Here are some of the lyrics:

Holy Spirit overshadow me.  Take me by the corners of my soul and shake me.  Break me wide open to carry your heart.  All I want to do is lose myself in you.  Lean back in your arms and just let go.  Let it be, to me, according to your word.  Your ways are higher than mine.

I let go - your kingdom come.  In my life - your will be done.  Your ways are higher than mine.  I let go now!  Everything we were holding back before, we give it to you.  We won’t struggle against your hand – we just let go.  It feels so good to just let go!  I make my good plans, but you direct my steps.  I will trust in you at all times.  Your ways are higher than mine.

 

We are choosing to JUST LET GO and surrender daily to His ways because they are higher than ours!  What will you choose today?  Will you continue to hang on to the comforts of life, or will you choose to surrender your entire life to Him and let Him have His way in and through you……..?  I pray that God will have His way in you right now.  I pray that He is ministering to your heart this very second.  I pray that chains that have held you back are broken off right now.  I pray that all fear is broken off in your life and that Holy Spirit will reveal to you God’s purposes for your life and that you would be able to take a giant leap of faith to follow after His heart – even if it means letting go of something familiar to you.  It will be worth the risk!

Slowing down our steps because “Simon” aka God said to.  Letting go now……..