Scripture: John 10:2-4 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
Devotion: I often say to my husband, “I know that these thoughts and emotions are misplaced and might not be true, but here is how I feel.” Whether dealing with something as a parent, spouse, friend, family member or employee, there are times when we all get in our own heads. We let our emotions lead the way. We believe the lies and thoughts that enter in. We can believe that we are unworthy. We can believe that we are unloved. We can believe that no matter what we do, we aren’t good enough for others.
And because of Jesus, none of these things are true. We are the beloved children of God. But how easy it is to believe the thoughts and the lies in our head. How easy it is to believe the lies and ways of this world. That’s why, when we are seeking to hear God’s voice, we need to make sure that it is His voice we are hearing and not our own thoughts or someone else’s.
We can know and trust that it is God who is speaking to us when we weigh it against God’s Word. His voice is always consistent with His Word. He has blessed us with Scripture, and we can use it as our guide. Any message that we hear and whatever it is that we believe God is telling us will align and agree with Scripture if it is from God.
The Lord speaks clearly. By setting aside time to read His Word and listen for His Spirit to speak, we will tune our hearts to Him. And that is when we can hear Him best.
Reflect:
- Do you find that you often believe the thoughts and emotions in your own mind?
- Do you often believe the thoughts and statements of others?
- How might you shift your focus to find God’s voice above the rest?
