SPIRITUAL GROWTH ARTICLES
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| Example. A new bride baked a ham for dinner. Before she put it in the roaster, she cut off the end of the ham. Her husband asked her why she did that. She said, "Well, my mother always did it. I think it's because when you cut off the end of the ham, it makes it taste better." Her husband said that just wasn't logical. So the bride asked her mother why she cut off the end of the ham before baking it. Her mother said, "Well, my mother always did it. I think it's because when you cut off the end of the ham, it makes it taste better." Then both the bride and her mother agreed that line of thinking was really not logical. So, the bride's mother asked her mother. The bride's grandmother said, "I cut off the end of the ham because it doesn't fit into my roaster." That was logical! |
Examine the reasons for your choices.
The point of this humorous example is that sometimes we continue practicing things because they're tradition. We don't question why we're doing something; we just do it because that's what we've always done.
But as we begin to structure our lives to listen to God in a more intimate relationship, His Spirit will prompt us to examine what we're choosing and why we're choosing the things we do.
not through what we don’t,
which is why it is essential
to renew our minds to the knowledge of Him.
Don’t despair!
If you are following tradition and culture and are finding your spiritual life lacking, God is still at work in your life through His unmerited grace. Don’t despair!
But if you desire more of His Life, purposefully continue to create margin so you can cultivate hearkening to His Voice—discerning the messages He brings to you through your relationships and circumstances, messages that will release you to His abundant life.
Simplify and renew your mind.
Your outward activity level often reflects what is happening within.
Simplify your environment by eliminating outside activities that overload your life. Then purposefully choose to eliminate teachings that present images which confuse and batter your mind.
Dwell in the reality of your circumstances and relationships. Renew your mind about their purpose: View them as one significant way that God speaks to you. Hearken to Him during this season of renewal.
Additionally, let most of your prayers for this season become times of listening for His still, small Voice inaudibly speaking to your willing and growing spirit.
Help us to discern the messages that You speak to us personally
through our everyday relationships and circumstances.
Open our eyes and our ears to Your work in our lives.
Over the next few months, I will be including a few examples of how God speaks to me through circumstances and relationships. I pray they will edify you:
Hearing His Voice Through the Din
How God assured me through my sister’s relationship with her son
Hearing His Confirming Voice
God’s confirmation of my liberty in Christ
Hearing His Voice Through A Child
How God ministered to me through a five-year-old child
I plan to post other personal examples of hearkening soon.
I have posted other examples of
how the Lord speaks to me:
Hearing His Instructive Word
God’s teaching me His principles of parenting my children as I led my “Tigger” son through his deskwork routine.
Hearing His Correcting Word
God’s Voice, spoken through a mentor, correcting my attitude towards my then-unsaved husband.
Hearing His Comforting Word
How God used a simple children’s book to comfort me as I waited for the fruit of the seeds I planted.
Hearing His Loving Word
Through an incident with my struggling child, God revealed His love for me, His struggling child.
Hearing His Enlightening Word
God provided me with enlightenment through a friend’s young son’s insights about a child’s story.
Hearing His Encouraging Word
While my child was learning to walk to me, God revealed to me the parallel of my walk to Him.
God..may give to you
a spirit of wisdom and of revelation
in the knowledge of Him.
~Ephesians 1:17
Read how one mom is learning to hearken here.
Go to Part 3 of this series: Invite the Lord’s Chastening through Obedience
SERIES
Links and Navigation Help
- Create Margin
Purposefully develop an environment that fosters spiritual growth. - Hearken!
Cultivate discerning the meaning of His message to you. - Invite the Lord’s Chastening through Obedience
Obey—through your personal conduct—the seemingly little things God has set before you.- Distinguish Between Works and Obedience
A practical example - Love is Born of God
A Failing Marriage Testimony
- Distinguish Between Works and Obedience
- Believe and Abide, Part 1 of 3
Believe and Abide, Part 2 of 3
Believe and Abide, Part 3 of 3
Believe Him as you abide and be released to love. - Simply Surrender
Now that the flesh has no power over you, walk in the Light and simply surrender. - Worship and Pray Without Ceasing
God seeks you to worship in spirit and in truth moment by moment. - Be Content and Hope in Christ
Serve the Living God, in Whom you find your contentment. - Wisely Steward Your Liberty
You are free indeed! Praise the Lord!
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