We all have GPS apps on our smart devices these days. Our phones, watches, tablets, and cars all tell us exactly how to get from one place to another. Modern GPS not only guides you from point A to point B, but also helps you avoid delays, hazards, tolls, and even warns of speed traps. Without a GPS, many of us would be left wandering around aimlessly in unfamiliar territory.
GPS today is similar to the ancient idea of a shepherd, guiding their flock to a particular destination and guarding them from traps and harm. But what happens if you don’t hear or understand the directions?
A lot of people find God’s leading confusing or indecipherable… and that can be extraordinarily frustrating. However the scriptures and Jesus Himself give straightforward instructions for clearly identifying the directions of our divine shepherd. The trouble is that typical religious thinking and indoctrination has clouded the issue and muddied the spiritual waters, making things more complicated and mysterious than they truly are. So today we’ll be cutting through all of that to see the where God is directing, without religion getting in the way.
Placing God in a Box
When it comes to God’s direction and guidance, there are many differing ideas and misconceptions to muddy the spiritual waters. Most of these ideas are commonly taught in mainstream Christianity today, and so we need to explore them.
Now, the critical point here is to not place God in a box— either positively or negatively. We should generally not say that God will absolutely do something, or that God will never do something; we shouldn’t place limitations on God. However, we should accept the limitations He sovereignly places on Himself. For example, when God promises something, including promises of blessings, we can be confident that those are true, and that God will always do what He says. The other side of this coin is that we can be equally certain that God will never do something He has promised to never do. For example, we can be sure that God will never destroy the earth with another flood, because He has promised to never do so.
These same rules apply when considering God’s direction and leading. To say that He only speaks one way and never another would be foolhardy. However there are some guides which He has clearly stated in scripture, and some common misconceptions that can cause undue confusion.
Always Look to Jesus
There are numerous examples of God speaking to and through people. Indeed, God spoke in all of those ways throughout history, and each method reveals something about Him.
That being said, Hebrews 1:1-4 reminds us that Jesus should always be the foundation and focus of our relationship— including how God speaks to us:
“ 1God, who at various times and in diverse manners spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,
2Has in these last days spoken to us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:
4Being made so much better than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.”
Verse 1 acknowledges that God spoke in times past using a variety of ways and methods, however verse 2 dials in our focus squarely onto Jesus by stating that in these last days, God has spoken to us by His Son. We need to truly grasp this concept, and what these verses are saying to us; Jesus is the express image of God’s person the radiance and brightness of His glory. If you’ve seen Jesus, you’ve seen the Father.
And notice that connected with the topic of God speaking to us through Jesus, verse three continues by explaining His sacrifice and the results of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. The verse says that Jesus upholds all things, and that He by Himself purged our sins and sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. That’s a very powerful image, and we should consider it fully.
Notice that Jesus upholds all things by the word of His power, and this fact has multiple layers to it— you see, it’s not only speaking externally or collectively, but also internally and personally as well. Everything in your life is also upheld by the word of Jesus’ power, and this ties in to recognizing His leading.
God’s Leading Is Connected With Jesus
A large part of understanding God’s leading comes from knowing what He has revealed to us about His character, His nature, and His works. Once we understand that Jesus did not simply cover our sins, but has completely purged them, made us righteous, and sat down at the right hand of God (signaling completion of the work) a lot of our questions, confusion, and doubt will melt away.
Many Christians believe that God is purposefully leading them into trouble for one reason or another, or as a test of their faith or performance, because they don’t understand what these verses are saying about Jesus.
To comprehend God’s guidance, we must begin with the foundation of Jesus’ atonement for us on the cross and know where we stand with him. Oftentimes, we as Christians are taught to trust in feelings, thoughts, or circumstances as an indicator of where God is leading. However the scriptures never instruct us to look to these things… feelings are as tumultuous as the waves of the sea, and our thoughts are equally erratic. We need to be firmly grounded in the reality of Jesus Christ and our union with Him through His sacrifice.
Hearing From God
So what does this mean for us in daily practice? It’s fascinating to note that many Christians understand prayer in only one direction of them talking to God But prayer is not just you speaking to God, it’s also Him speaking to you— prayer is communication with God. But most Christians do not understand this, and it frightens them. The idea of God speaking to us is unsettling if we don’t understand how it works, because in that case we are left somewhat blind, uncertain and unsure of whether we are truly hearing God, or just our own mind or imagination. We will be continuing this topic next week and expand on the application of Jesus Christ and hearing from God in the New Covenant. Rather than cram everything into one single session, it’s better to move at a slower pace and explore everything in detail, so that we can see the nuances of how the scriptures explain God’s leading.