Donald Wickham’s Blog

As we begin a new year, many folks take time to pray and ask God for a “word” for the year, for His directions.  I know that I do.  And this is always a good thing to do.  But I have sensed some cautions.

The first is in the asking for that word or direction.  I’ve seen folks so focused on getting a word that they end up open to getting misled.  This has happened to me.  We are desperate to hear, to get instructions.  Almost a “give me a word or I’ll die”.  We fast, make promises, almost anything to get the Word.  We are trying to force God to speak to us.  This is a very dangerous posture.  The focus is on us, on being or getting control, trying to manipulate God to speak.  So we become open to any word, from God or not.  And, since we have been asking God for a word, we accept that what we hear must be from Him.  And that is how we end up deceived.  God will not be manipulated, not by our actions or desperation.

Another caution is our tendency to get a word from God and then take it and run with it.  Like we ask at the beginning of the year or a project, get the one word and say to God, thanks, see you next year.  I know that for me, I do this all too often.  As an example let’s say the word for the year is “Change”.  So from then on I’ll continually look for things that need to be changed.  Like it is my job to make this happen.  Any changes that come I immediately accept because God said this is a year of change.  No discernment needed.  What a mess this opens me up to.

A third problem is that we ask God so we can decide if it’s what best for us.  Since we aren’t sure we can trust God to give us good things, we are really just asking His opinion and we will measure it against what we want to do or what we feel is best for us.  With this approach, is it any wonder we rarely hear anything?

Here are some of my thoughts on how to avoid these difficulties.

1. Come to Father God seeking Him first.  Seeking a relationship with Him.  Letting Him design that relationship according to how He wants it to be.  Asking for words and directions that He wants for us.  And accepting silence as well as a word.  Trusting that He will provide whatever we need, including directions, at the very best time.
2. Continue to ask the “next” question when Father gives a word or instruction.  We need to know when to do something He tells us.  And how, and with who.  Stay in relationship.  Stay close, leaning into Him.  He doesn’t say “Go learn baseball”.  He says, “Come with Me and I’ll teach you baseball”.
3. Remember that He is God and I am not!  That He loves me as I am and only wants what is best for me.  And as I grow in that love, I, too, will begin to love, sacrificially instead of just focusing on me.  Others need that love, too.
4. Saying “Yes” before He tells us what.  That is really the essence of trust.

So let’s ask while we press into His love, trusting Him.

Tags:   ask next question · deceived · desperate · force God · God's directions · God's opinion · God's timing · love · love sacrificially · manipulated · misled · promises · relationship · saying yes · Trust · word from God3 Comments