"But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you." 2 Corinthians 8:16
Toni
In this passage, Paul ascribed Titus' decision to come to the Corinthians as something that God put in his heart. But notice that it was primarily a desire in his heart to visit them. How we often miss the leading of God because we usually do not associate such desires that come in our minds with God. There are many such desires that have passed through our hearts that we have overlooked without realizing that they are desires given to us by God to guide us. In Nehemiah 2:12, we are told that God put it in the heart of Nehemiah to go and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. The way God led him was by a thought in his mind.
The problem with many of us is that we are expecting to hear God in some dramatic ways, therefore, when He comes to us in a more natural way, like in the desires that He inspires in our hearts, we miss Him. So you see, God may have spoken to you many times by way of desires and that He placed in your heart, to do something or go somewhere, but you let it pass by because it didn't come in the way and manner that you expect God to speak. Titus' going to Corinth was, according to the apostle Paul, something that God put in his heart to do. But consider what may have happened if he, like many of us, was waiting for an audible voice or something dramatic before proceeding to Corinth? The blessing that God brought through him to that church may not have come.
The problem with many of us is that we are expecting to hear God in some dramatic ways, therefore, when He comes to us in a more natural way, like in the desires that He inspires in our hearts, we miss Him. So you see, God may have spoken to you many times by way of desires and that He placed in your heart, to do something or go somewhere, but you let it pass by because it didn't come in the way and manner that you expect God to speak. Titus' going to Corinth was, according to the apostle Paul, something that God put in his heart to do. But consider what may have happened if he, like many of us, was waiting for an audible voice or something dramatic before proceeding to Corinth? The blessing that God brought through him to that church may not have come.
Pastor Youngi Cho was once asked what the secret of his success in ministry was, and his simple answer was, "I hear and obey." How true! If we can cultivate the same disposition towards the desires put in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, a lot of things will be different in our lives.
But the big question is, how can you know that the desire in your heart is from God and not yours? To know this demands finding out if it will require faith to respond to it, because if it is from God, it will require faith. Next, find out if you have peace regarding what is in your mind, because if it is from God, there will be peace in your mind. "Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always]". Colossians. 3:15 AMP
(I will be starting a series of monthly meetings, via zoom, from 29th of June on the subject of The Practice of Recognizing the Voice of God. It is free. Details will be published shortly.)
Toni
