God Told Me

These days when I hear someone say, “God told me…” I have a tendency to cringe; and most of the time it is noticeable.  I have however, managed in some situations to be respectful of the person delivering the divine revelation.  It’s not that I don’t believe people still hear the voice of God as they did in Moses’ days.  I just think that more often than not our opinion is burning hotter than the bush that Moses encountered.  In an effort to be taken seriously we think it necessary to preface our words with, God told me.  Somehow this little phrase will make everything ok if the person on the receiving end doesn’t like what we have said, or is hurt by it.  Have you ever been the person on the receiving end of a “divine revelation”?  I have been both blessed by this and hurt.  I have been blessed when someone called because while they were reading scripture or praying, I was on their mind and they prayed for me.  They called to share the verse that they were reading when I was brought to their mind or they wrote me a note of encouragement at just the right time.  I believe that God does place people on our hearts at just the right time.  I have had some instances recently where certain individuals have come to mind in the night and I have prayed for them as soon as I was coherent enough to pray, later to find out that it was just what they needed at that time.  This will always amaze me and humble me at the same time.  Why was I chosen to pray for those needs?  How could my prayers possibly eloquent enough or holy enough to make a difference?  Prayers and encouragement from others in the name of Jesus are undeniably welcomed and cherished. 

But the other side of “God told me” is where I begin with my skepticism.  Once a friend told me that God showed her something about my life that needed to be dealt with and that I should pray and ask Him to show me too.  I was instantly angry and not because I was feeling some kind of guilt or fear of what might have been revealed.  I was angry because the person delivering this word had a history of using this phrase when she was about to offer her opinion on some aspect of my life.  She said I should pray about it for a few days and that she would call me later in the week to arrange a meeting.  Several days and weeks went by and I heard not another word.  Apparently the burning message from God had lost its urgency.  Because I have put little trust in people like this, I wasn’t hurt that she didn’t follow up on this message from God.  In fact, I found it amusing and incredibly predictable, given her history.  It wasn’t God’s message at all, it was an opinion and the person delivering it either found it less important to share as time went on and perhaps God protected me from yet another hurtful, discouraging opinion. 

Should my opinion ever burn brighter than the bush did to Moses, may I find the courage to admit that it is my own, and further may I be wise enough to know when to speak and when to simply be quiet.

Have a wonderful weekend, my friends and thanks for stopping by.

Amy Lynn

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