I am made to LISTEN.
And I must start here:
The ALIGNMENT
of my heart ❤️
with HIS. ❤️
This is how I was designed to LIVE:
Designed to LISTEN for His VOICE...
John 10:3-5 (MSG)
The gatekeeper OPENS the gate to him
and the sheep RECOGNIZE his voice.
HE CALLS
his own sheep by name
and HE LEADS them out.
When HE GETS them all out,
HE LEADS them
and
they FOLLOW
because...
they are FAMILIAR
with HIS VOICE.
They won't follow
a stranger's voice
BUT
will S C A T T E R...because...
they AREN’T USED TO
the sound of it.”
I’m learning more & more what it takes to recognize something.
At first, I thought recognition happens through repeated exposure.
But that is not the case at all.
Why?
Because just the other day I got anxious.
My whole body felt on edge.
My nerves were so touchy...
“You are not enough.”
That’s the voice I heard.
That’s the voice I followed.
Again & again & again...
“You are not enough.”
I heard. I agreed. I surrendered.
Again & again & again...
Repeated exposure.
“You are not enough.”
But I also heard a faint whisper...
“Because My Grace is sufficient, you are always enough.”
I heard. I disagreed. I shelved it...
...again & again & again.
That’s the Voice I heard.
That’s the Voice I refused.
See?
Recognition does not happen because of “repeated exposure.”
The recognition being spelled out here in this passage happens due to my chosen ALIGNMENT.
Recognition = Alignment
Alignment = Agreement
therefore...
Recognition = Agreement
Which brings me to the word, “follow.”
Recognition=Agreement=Follow
This is the kind of recognition being presented in this “Sheep Scripture Passage.”
James 1:14-15 comes to mind:
The path of recognition-
Desire->Entice->Drag away->Birth->Growth-Death.
Romans 12:1-2
Be not conformed (Recognize.Agree.Align)
BUT be transformed (Recognize.Agree.Align)
What’s the difference?
Surrender.
Take captive the one & SURRENDER to the Other.
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)
Amen.
Live Aligned to your God-given Design
Dear woman of God, I invite you to share your own reflection from this Head2Heart post in the comments below. Let's journey Head2Heart Onward together...