The sound of rain forcefully hitting my window woke me up from a sound sleep.
“Oh no!” Was my first thought.
My plan had been to go to work early and catch up some things that had fallen behind. However, I couldn’t shake a conversation I had with my Mom just the night before.
She had shared with me a news report. She told me the weatherman confirmed that we would have rain, but he went on to say the temperatures would drop drastically bringing in sleet and ice.
I went out onto my front porch and checked for ice. There was none on my porch or the steps. Still, this thought kept coming to me saying, “What if you head to the office and hit black ice or what if there is ice on the road and you just don’t know it yet?”
All these thoughts were going through my mind as I was getting dressed. They were not peace filled thoughts.
I had felt strongly the day before what my plan should be for the following day. I believed I had to arrive at work early and take care of several things before the week began. My mind was torn between what I knew I should do and the report I heard the night before.
Suddenly the Lord’s voice broke through and said, “The only reason you are struggling with this is because of what you heard, if you had not heard that report you would move forward.”
With those words, peace came over me and I knew all was well.
I am not saying to ignore wisdom, not at all. It is wisdom to check the weather in the winter to make sure all is well before you set out. That is not my point. My point is I was allowing a bad report to hinder me from what I knew I was supposed to do. What I had heard, even if it was factual, was influencing me. It was drawing me away from what I felt God was leading me to do.
In Mark 4:24 Jesus said, “Be careful what you hear.”
Isaiah 53 says, “Whose report will you believe?”
Often times, we allow an evil report to override what the word of the living God says, or what God is leading us to do.
For me that morning, because I felt that was what I was supposed to do, I should have listened to the report of the Lord, instead of the report of the news. I should have given no place to those thoughts.
His report says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:6-7
His report says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7
His report says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
Have you ever done that?
Have you felt God was leading you a certain direction, but then hear a negative report and wonder if you are wrong? Or if you missed it? I think we all have.
The Bible says His sheep know His voice and the voice of a stranger they will not follow. Thank God for that!
I am reminded of the twelve spies, ten of whom brought back an evil report. Of course, it was a negative report, but God called it evil. Because they heeded that report, they didn’t enter their promised land. How sad is that?
Don’t allow evil reports to stop you from moving forward in God. Seek His face, listen for His voice and follow that voice. There is safety there. There is provision there. There is healing there. In Him and Him alone is everything you have need of. Follow Him. Follow His voice.
Meditate on this:
And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21
