The Two Hurdles Of God’s WillSample

Hurdle #1: What will “They” say?

Moses had a “they” problem. “They” presented a hurdle to him in getting on with the will of God. Have you ever wondered what “they” might say about God’s will for your life? How “they” might react if you were to take a step out in faith and follow Him? Or, what would “they” say if you insisted you’d heard directly from God? Moses was worried enough about “they” that even in the very presence of God, he hesitated.

A behavioral study was done years ago by a university professor that demonstrated the remarkable power of “they.” This professor got a group of 15 people together and handed them cards with one line and three lines, and asked which of three lines matched the length of the first line. The correct answer was “line B”; but as each person in sequence incorrectly (and purposely) answered, “line A,” the number of subsequent people who would answer correctly diminished even though they knew that “B” was correct! Participants gave the wrong answer because they were influenced by the cumulative power of “they.” ¹

The first hurdle in knowing and embracing God’s will is concern over what “they” will say. Living for the Lord will definitely raise the eyebrows of some, but as I’ve said many times, you wouldn’t worry about what people think of you if you knew how seldom they thought of you! Believe it or not, we’re not “top of mind” material for “they” 24-7. Why live for the approval of others when you are not even on the front burner of their thoughts? However, God does have you on His mind: “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand”. He thinks of you all the time.

Some of the worst decisions of our life are made for “them.” We may even make choices to please or impress people we will not know 10 years from now. We mistakenly worry about pleasing “them” rather than following “Thee.” Moses asked God, “What if they say it’s not true? What if they say I never heard from You?” It’s ironic that Moses feared “their” doubts when he stood in the very presence of God. But “they” can quickly cause us to doubt what we know is true—even when the Truth stands before us and calls us by name. Moses knew that the Lord’s appearance was real. He saw the bush and heard the voice. But his hurdle remained. The doubts of others can make the truth seem false. Moses, God could really use you if you quit worrying about what everyone else thought of you.

Note
1. “Informational Social Influence,” The University of Idaho Psychology Department, transcript of audio lecture. www.class.uidaho.edu/psvc320/lessons/lesson07/lesson7-ltranscript.htm