When I’m ministering, I will see these images, images that I use to explain something to someone that is struggling with a particular situation or their relationship with God. Those images come from God along with the wisdom to apply them. They are usually sort of funny, out of the box, unexpected. I think He does that because people usually remember the unexpected or He just knows I work better with humor…He knows me. The other night I was talking with my best friend. She was struggling hearing from God. She had been praying for direction for many weeks regarding her job and was frustrated that she hadn’t heard an answer. She felt chaos and confusion, two things God does not produce. In my mind, I saw her wearing a backpack and it was full. The wisdom that God shared with me was…perfect. She was carrying a backpack to the feet of God and she had filled that backpack with all of her (the world’s) perspective of the situation. She wasn’t taking any of that out and leaving room to get God’s.
How often do we cry out to God for an answer to something we are struggling with, only to filter it through our own thoughts of the situation? In our prayers, in our hearts, we carry our desires…our plans…our wisdom. We fill our backpacks with all the worldly arguments…all the worldly facts…our idols and we expect God to work within those. We don’t give God room for His thoughts…His plans…His wisdom…His desires. How do we expect to fill ourselves with Him, if we are already filled up with our own stuff? God is a Gentleman; He will only fill the areas where we leave room for Him.
So, my advice to my best friend was to empty her backpack. Pull out all of the worldly arguments, her own perspective, go empty handed to the throne of grace. Go with a heart that only desires His direction. Ready with the hope and belief He will answer her prayer. And, pray for a heart willing to follow where He leads. We don’t know what is around the corner. He does. We don’t know what’s best for us. He does. I told her once she gets His answer, she will feel peace, no chaos, no confusion, just peace. I spoke with such confidence when I said, He WILL answer the prayer of someone that has let go of the world and themselves, seeking ONLY His words and BELIEVES He will answer.
The next day I got a text from her. She sent me the prayer she had prayed all day. She emptied her backpack. She prayed with hope and belief He would answer.
He did.
Do you want make room for God in your backpack? Well, you will need to take some of your stuff out first.
Which Voice Will You Follow? 