Divine Direction: Discerning the Voice of God in a Data-Driven WorldSample

Fear, Doubts, and Divine Direction

As a parent, if you ask a child to jump from a hill, telling him that on his way down, you will catch him and he won't fall, chances are he will probably believe and jump. That's a child for you. Children trust with no reservation. They often don't have grounds for doubt and unbelief. They do or act as they are told or instructed. No wonder Jesus describes a person who will make the kingdom to God to be like a child. Matt 18:3 NIV, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

As adults, our past disappointments often distort our faith, and consequently, we question God's leading; we ask for signs, and we sometimes act reluctantly, but just like children, we need to trust our heavenly father unreservedly. God's leading will not always be comfortable, and it doesn't have to be. You only have to trust Him. Obeying God does not insulate us from the pains and disappointments of life.

We must be ready to live with the inconveniences that come with heeding the voice of God. It won't be easy, but it will worth it. Paul was beaten and jailed many times. John, Stephen, Moses, and all the Biblical heroes had their fair share of pain and persecution. We should not run away from ours. Pain is part of our growth process. We shouldn't only look for God in the beautiful seasons of our lives. He’s also right there amid our discomfort.

A healthy dose of fear is sometimes needed to keep us humble, grounded and reliant on God. Fear is a signal of caution. It reminds us of our fallibility. The most important thing is we should not allow it to dominate or rule our lives.

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