What’s Your Answer?

“And he trembling and astonished said, ‘Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?’ And the Lord said unto him, ‘Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.’” (Acts 9:6 KJV)

In yesterday’s post we looked at the powerful result of the Lord’s question to Bartimaeus, but today I’d like for us to turn our focus to how we might respond when the Lord turns that question around.

There are times we get so focused on what has us, whether sickness, possessions, position, or whatever, that it seems we’re blind to what we can believe the Lord will do for us. It’s like we have the attitude, though we’d likely never admit it: “I think I’m good now Lord, everything’s under (my) control.” But how does that perspective change when the proverbial shoe is on the other foot; when we are bold enough, and insightful enough to actually ask the Lord, like Saul (who would become the Apostle Paul), what He desires of us?

Admittedly, I wrestle with this, because on some levels common sense would dictate that I should ask the Lord for physical healing for my ailments, but instead, I’m seeking to be more focused on what the Lord wants me to learn in this season, and to whom I should reach out who might have something similar?

The obvious issue in my mind is to ask – where’s my focus? If my focus is on me my attention gravitates to my wellbeing, thus, my healing – and don’t misunderstand, that’s sometimes exactly where our focus needs to be, like it was in blind Bartimaeus’ case. But if I/we continually focus on our ailments or difficult circumstances, we’re likely not going to ask Jesus what He would want us to do IN those circumstances.

Too much focus on me (ourselves) can cause us to miss opportunities to be of help or support to the many in our spheres of influence who could be helped and encouraged by what the Lord is teaching us in our season of anguish, pain, or suffering. Think of all the Lord taught Job before He healed and restored him.

That’s why I want to continue to write as long as the Lord allows. As long as He’s my focus, I believe He will allow me to share things that I pray will be of value to you. I know with certainty that healing will come to me, either in this life or the next, and either way is good with me. The Lord is my Shepherd, so, “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and Your staff protect and comfort me.”

In any season of our lives we will face challenges, that’s the nature of life on this planet, but it’s in the valleys we see the Lord’s face most beautifully; it’s in times of trial we hear His voice most clearly and sense His great love for us most warmly.

Questions can be helpful as long as we’re asking the right questions and listening to the Lord’s questions to us. When our channel with the Lord is clogged by “Why’s” we’ll too often miss His instructions that will lead to not only greater usefulness for us, but also greater blessing to others. A more appropriate question may well be “what!”

Lord, WHAT would you have me to learn in this painful and very difficult season? WHAT are the avenues you’d have me pursue that would enable me to maximize my usefulness to You? WHO would you have me reach out to who could benefit from a word from You through someone they know understands what they’re going through.

Life is a lot more enjoyable and fruitful when we’re able to get our minds off ourselves long enough to hear the Lord’s voice.

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊