Full of Grace

           The fact that you have been praying about it for so long, or your pastor confirmed it, or you just believe in your instincts, does not make it the right decision or action, and mostly doesn’t make it the will of God. I bet you might have been telling yourself – just like I do most of the time that “I have this idea and this thought because God lets me, hence there is a purpose and will in it”. We shouldn’t be careless and ignorant about the fact that our environment and even our instincts (especially when we do not let God’s spirit guide us) influence our decisions and actions, which may not always be the will of God. 

            Most times, I would try to affirm my decisions and actions by saying “but I have been praying about it for a very long time now, and the fact that I still have it in mind is enough confirmation for me.” Maybe you’re like me too, but here’s what I discovered; I’ve been telling God and not necessarily listening to Him. I’ve only been informing Him about what I intend to do, and not necessarily letting Him guide me and show me what exactly He would have me say or do. So this means that I haven’t really involved Him and what I’m doing might not actually be pleasing to Him. Our Pastors and leaders in the faith have instincts too, we’re all human. I’m not saying that every advice they give you is wrong, but sometimes it might not be what God would have you do.

            So at this point, I know you want me to tell you what next. How can I live and act and speak in ways that illuminate the glory of God? Indeed, I will. I identified some very vital questions to ask ourselves and deeply consider before making any decision and taking any action.

1.     What does the Word of God say about this particular issue?

Before we go on, it’s very important to know that the word of God would not just out-rightly tell you to greet that your neighbour that has been mean to you and has been ignoring you. The fact that the word of God doesn’t give us direct answers to the questions we ask doesn’t mean that the answers we seek are not there. Here’s how; the word of God gives us a deep insight of the mind of God regarding whatever situation or issue we might be dealing with – in friendships, relationship with your boss, siblings, dressings, lifestyle, and as many as you can list. Hence, you engage the spirit of God that He has bestowed on every saint to convict you of the truth in the word of God concerning that issue. For example; God said do not keep malice, but this person is being too difficult. You always try to talk to this person and engage in conversations, but this person keeps ignoring you and keeps making you feel terrible. You have prayed and sought counseling but every effort you make to promote peace is being trashed, and God has said “Do not keep malice.” This brings us to the next questions.

 

2.     Does this thing (decision and action) edify you?

This thing that you have decided to do, does it make you a better person? What have you learned and how does this improve your behaviour and personality?

 

3.     How does thing portray God, His love and His holiness?

After considering what God has said in His Word, and also having considered if this thing edifies you as a person, the next important question you should ask your self is “if this thing portrays God.” This question has many more sub-questions like; will this thing hinder me from preaching the gospel and having an impact? Will this thing make someone to lose faith? Will this thing help the people around me to know God?

Not to drift too much, the point is to make sure that in thought, speech, or action, we should efficiently spread the gospel of Christ. Maybe you like this thing and it’s not entirely bad, but these people around have certain reservations as regards this thing. It’s advisable you stop so that the gospel you share by the way you live can get to these people. 

One thing I’ve learned to be conscious of is that people are watching, and I am responsible for everything I do and every message I pass across by the way I live. So if this thing will take away the essence of Christ in my life - most especially based on how the people around me perceive this, I’d rather just stop. 

So when you ask yourself, if I do this now, will this person have doubts about Jesus? Will these people refuse to listen to me about Christ? And when you have answered that question from the bottom of your heart, after answering the above two questions as well; then you can decide if that action is graceful and illuminating the glory of God.