What is God teaching you?

It’s an interesting question — because if I don’t ask myself this question often, I don’t really have an answer… Which is foolish of course, because there is no doubt that God is teaching me plenty of things.  However, a more penetrating question is: am I choosing to see and recognize what God is teaching me?  Teaching certainly falls about without a willingness to be taught, a teachable heart some may say.

Recently I heard someone ask another the ‘what is God teaching you’ question.  I hadn’t considered that in awhile, sadly.  It caused me to really think for a bit and conclude how much God is really teaching me through all my circumstances, both good and bad!  But my failure to frequently ask myself that question (what is God teaching me?) led to a slight deprivation of my soul versus an awesome awareness of great blessings God has provided for me.

So what is God teaching me?

I believe on my heart for awhile is the conviction of rest, Sabbath rest.  I am quite adept at making excuses.  Often it is the excuse of, “it’s the right thing to do“, or “it’s important“, sometimes “it’s Kingdom stuff, gotta help” and sadly sometimes the excuses are more pathetic like “I have too much to do“.  Whatever the reasons may be, I must move past the feelings of ‘laziness’ or ‘lack of productivity’ that I always encounter when I need to rest.

Rest is productive.  Of course it can become laziness, but that’s not what I am talking about.  I need to recognize the necessity of saying no to ‘x, y &z’, because I need to say YES to God & spend time truly resting in Him.  It takes time to Abide in Christ and it takes time and thought to pray and sit before The Lord.  Perhaps what I am learning in all of that is, I need to quickly dismiss thoughts or fears of being labeled ‘lazy’ and audibly speak truth to myself.  For example, “No, I am not being lazy, and I don’t mind if people think I am. I am spending time with The Father and that is of greater significance than the lies I may hear, be it from the enemy or from others”.  I am a big believer in the power of verbally speaking truth when temptation, or lies come at us.  I believe C.S. Lewis wrote about that. I cannot find the quote; but more or less the idea he spoke of is that the enemy can put lies and thoughts into our minds, but cannot hear the internal struggle we may have.  However, if we are bold enough to speak aloud, the enemy can indeed hear that response.  And in those words we speak, there is great power —  particularly if we’re speaking God’s Word into those moments.  Of the myriad of things God is teaching me, that one definitely looms large — and I am glad I overheard someone ask the question, “what is God teaching you”.

Of course now, I must ask you — have you asked yourself what God is teaching you?  Perhaps all it will take to answer that for yourself is to begin with a simple yet profound scripture, like the one below.

“Be still, and know that I am God”
— Psalm 46:10a  [ESV]