Monday, February 25, 2013

To Blog or Not to Blog, Waiting on God's Guidance

I don't have any real Clear Direction in my Blog yet, but that's Ok.  Sometimes when we Wait on God, it takes a little time before we know all of the Answers.  So Far, I'm sensing that I should be writing about Spiritual Things, rather than Politics, at least for now, but I do not want to do so in a way in which Drives Non-Believers Off.

Two Posts Down I was having a Discussion with probably the most loyal of all my Followers, BB-Idaho.  We were discussing how the Blogging World can be Hostile at Times and the Discussions can appear to be quite Futile and because of this, I am Reluctant to Pursue some of my Old Followers by Visiting their Blogs.  Peace of Mind is a worth while thing to Preserve and I'm not so sure that Pursuing Lots of Hits is really what this is all about.  There has been a Slight Increase in comparison to the Hits I was getting when my Blog was Totally Inactive, but it's not enough to really brag about.

Anyway, as BB and I were discussing, "Whether 'tis easier on the mind to agonize over the darts and arrows of written argument or to press the 'escape' button and from the sea of troubles, by deleting, end them?" (Words of BB-Idaho)  I guess he was Paraphrasing Hamlet because of my Chosen Title, though I'm certainly not as Depressed as all that and I assure you that my life will continue to go on quite Contently, whether I decide to Blog or not.  Poor Hamlet.  If only he had known that Jesus and the Indwelling Spirit could have helped him through all of his Troubles.

Here's my Response, though, to BB and to all others who might be listening....

I'm not as Concerned about Injury as I am about Outcome.  If I could feel confident that the End Result would be that someone might actually be persuaded of at least a little something, then I will take "the Darts and Arrows", yet when it seems Fruitless, that is worse than any Dart or Arrow that is slung at me, so let's just find a way to not make it Fruitless, shall we.

This is why I want to be sure that God is truly the one Calling me to do this, for it is my Belief that He is the only one who can make anything that we do actually matter and this is why I simply will not Proceed with any Post until I feel sure that that's the Direction that God wants me to go in.  I feel at Peace about this Post, yet my Efforts to Pursue Followers is in Slow Motion, until I can sense some further Direction from the Lord.

I have Often heard it said that "God's Word will Never Return Void", yet how can this be if the one who we are Quoting Scriptures to does not Believe in the Validity of those Scriptures?

Just so that I could be sure that what I am saying is actually what the Scripture says, I looked it up.

"10) For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater, 11) So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of My mouth.  It shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.(Isaiah 55:10-11, KJV)


Ok, now that I've read it directly out of the Bible, a Question comes to mind.  Does the Phrase "My Word....that goeth forth out of My Mouth" and "in the thing whereto I sent it" refer to any Scripture spoken at any time, or just to that which the Lord has Specifically Directed, Guided and Sent Out.

You see, there is a difference between a Christian that is simply going through the motions and another Christian that is actually Following the Direction and Specific Guidance of God and this is the Reason Why so many Christians are not Effective in what they set out to do, for even though the Bible says...

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13, KJV)

It also says....

"I am the vine, ye are the branches.  He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me, ye can do nothing." (John 15:5, KJV)

So Often when we Hesitate and are Reluctant, people think of things such as "Agony" and Fear, yet to Press On or to "Escape" is so much more Complicated than just the Question of Fear or Agony or of Considering what is "Easiest on the Mind".  The Appropriate Question to Ask is not "Will it be Hard?" or "Will I be Injured?", but instead, "Will it be Fruitful?", "Will there be a Positive Outcome?", "Will it be worth it?" or more Pointedly, "Is this what God Wants me to Do?"

To Truly be Effective, we have to "Abide in Christ" and Wait for His Direction, for the Bible also says....

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength.  They shall mount up with wings as eagles.  They shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."  (Isaiah 40:31, KJV)


So you see, being Hesitant and Reluctant is not a Negative Thing.  Quite the Contrary.  It is the Right Thing to do.

As I was Looking for that last Verse, I found three others that are encouraging in relation to Waiting on the Lord and then I thought of One More...

"Wait on the LORD.  Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart.  Wait, I say, on the LORD."  (Psalms 27:14, KJV)
"Wait on the LORD, and keep His way, and He shall exalt thee to inherit the land.  When the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it."  (Psalm 37:34, KJV)
"Say not, thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee."  (Proverbs 20:22, KJV)
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."  (Galatians 6:9, KJV)

In Closing, I just want to Pray that these Words will not Return Void and that God will Draw those to my Blog who Need to be Encouraged by these Words.  I also Pray that He will give me Direction as to whether or not I should Pursue anyone, by Visiting the Blogs that they Frequent.

10 comments:

Brenda said...

Hello Lista,
I just came over to read your blog. I haven't had time to read all of it at the moment but one thing that I have read is where you said. 'I have Often heard it said that "God's Word will Never Return Void", yet how can this be if the one who we are Quoting Scriptures to does not Believe in the Validity of those Scriptures?'. I think that as scripture also tells us that one plants, one waters, but God adds the increase, that we don't necessarily know what the outcome of our 'watering' or 'planting' will be. With myself, as with all people I suppose, it has been over a process of time that my hearing of, being born into and maturing in the Lord has taken place and still is taking place. It doesn't really matter if we don't see the outcome as we each have to walk our own road. I think it also depends on what the Lord calls you to do as well, if we seek Him we will know what He is telling us to do.

Lista said...

Thank You, Brenda, for Commenting. You have made a Very True and Insightful Contribution and I Agree with all that you have said.

Covnitkepr1 said...

I for one just hope you keep blogging. There is definately a way to write without offending and yet speak the truth.
On my blog...I say what I believe to be the truth...then the reader can comment(either pro or con) and thats the end of it. Because debates can turn into name calling...which won't happen on my watch.
It's my blog and I set the rules...on your blog you should set the rules...and I think thats fair.
Anywho...keep blogging and keep the faith.

Lista said...

Thank You, Covenant Keeper, I'm glad that you like my Blog enough to say that. I just finished making a Comment on Steve Finnell's Blog in which I stated that the Problem may be that I have been Focusing too much on Politics. Even my Friend, BB-Idaho, indicated in a Comment several Posts down that Politics may be more Hostile than Religious Topics are.

It is either that, or it may be the Presence of so many Non-Christians. There are just people out there that love to Argue and are a little bit Offended no matter what you say or how you say it.

In relation to Politics, there are also those who are Highly Preachy and who will make so many Comments Continually and in such a Highly Preachy Manner, that you become sick of them.

I Never thought that I would actually be considering Blocking someone from my Blog, yet I just may do it yet if I get another Preachy Troll hanging out here. It just happens sometimes.

You are right, though, that there is a way to write that does not Offend. There is also an Art to the Monitoring of the Comments. I have to get past any Guilt that I may feel about just plain saying NO. I have Rules and I will enforce them. Comments that contain Name Calling and the like are not going to be Printed.

I do not want to Discourage discussion, though, because I feel that a lot can be learned from back and forth Dialogue.

Lista said...

You know, actually, my discussion with BB-Idaho, a couple of Posts down, has been quite Helpful to me in relation to realizing that Discussions about Religion can be more Civil than Discussions about Politics and also that Christians, for the Most Part, do appear to be more Civil. Perhaps this in itself can be a Positive Testimony and Witness to those who do not Believe.

Z-man said...

I'm tiring of my own blog of late to be quite honest. Basically lately most of what I write people disagree with, I feel I'm misinterpreted at times since my style is to think out loud and can't for the life of me figure out how half the country feels Obama is terrible and the other half feels he's great which shows how divided we are as a country. Good to see you blogging again though!

Satyavati devi dasi said...

This comes from a non-Christian: I think that if you're led to post about religious stuff, then you should. If your heart's in the right place, it'll proceed all as it should.

And btw, good to see you back.

Lista said...

Hi you Guys,
I want to Thank both of you for Writing and I Apologize for the Fact that my Initial Response has been longer than 24 Hours. I've written quite a bit, though, so I will be back later to write my longer Response, as well as to do another Long Over Due Post.

Lista said...

Hello again,
This Comment is long, so I'm going to Divide it into two Parts.

I'm a little Relieved to realize that the time frame between your comments in my response is only 2 days because the truth is that I have been away from the Computer for an entire Week. I guess this has been my Dilemma all along. It is hard to Blog when I'm so on and off the Computer all the time because the Blogging World basically does expect a response within 24 hours and I just go through Periods in my Life in which such a timely response isn't possible.

My excuse right now is our dog. I never dreamed in a million years that just getting him Neutered was going to be such a big ordeal, yet he has always been such an "in your Face" sort of Animal and when we can't just put him outside to play, he wants Constant Attention.

He is wearing a Cone around his head and this requires constant Supervision because that is the only way that we can Prevent him from Destroying the Cone. He can not be in the Yard off the Lease because he is not allowed to Run and worse yet, we have a Retaining Wall that he loves to jump and well, aside from Running, he is also not allowed to Jump, so every time that he needs to go to the Bathroom, we have to take him out personally on the lease.

The Most Distracting, though, is just the fact that he wants constant attention. He wants us to pet him. He wants to constantly lick us and if we Ignore him for too long, he will start chewing on the Cone and then we have to tell him no and then go and Turn the Cone so that the part that he has done the most Damage to is away from his mouth and above his head.

Well, this is all a change in subject, yet it explains why Blogging is quite difficult to do at the moment.

Ok, now for a response to your Comments. I'm so sorry, Z-man, that you have so often found your Blog to be so Frustrating and Tiring. If you don't mind me saying so, in the times in which I've Visited it, you seem to draw people who are quite set in their own Way of Thinking and are not Persuadable.

Since you do not have Comment Moderation on, Z, those who love to Argue just have a hay day on your Blog and I am afraid to say that, though I do like you as the Blog Author, I often avoid your Blog because some of those who Frequent there are so Argumentative and as I said, Unpersuadable and quite Often, such People are the very ones who will also make a person Feel quite Guilty if they choose to Use Comment Moderation on their Blog.

At least that is the way it has been in the Past.

Lista said...

Part 2
I just don't have the Interest anymore, though, in Arguments that Lead no where. I just don't and though I really do not want to Abandon the Original Audience that used to Follow my Blog, my Interest in Arguing has Changed and I want to Figure out a Way to Draw an Audience that is Truly interested in what I have to say.

Since I have not been by your Blog in awhile, Z, I have to Acknowledge that anything I've said about it may be old information and perhaps this has changed, yet I still had to say it, just in case it has not.

You have brought up some interesting Questions, Z, which I am going to discuss in my Next Post, which will be coming soon. Some of it may seem like Repeat from what I have said in this Comment, but hopefully, I will also be able to add more that is new.

Yes, it does seem odd that half of the Country is, IMO, quite Deceived. Ok, here we go with Politics again and here is the Thing.... There are such a large Number of Obama Supporters on the Web that are not Persuadable that I'm feeling led away from discussing it. To those who do not Agree with me, it will just sound like Obama Bashing and that's not really what I want my Blog to be.

Perhaps there will come a time in which the Political Harvest will be more Ripe for Reaping, yet I do not feel that now is that time.

Satyavati,
I guess that the subject of this Post is, indeed, "Feeling Led" and I'm actually struggling at the moment between the Idea of just Waiting for God's Voice and Well, more Actively Pursuing the Answers to the Questions that are in my Mind. In the End, I know that it will be, at least in part you, the Commenters, who are going to help me to Find the Answers to what it is that I should be Blogging about.

This Leads into the Subject of my Next Post as well, so I am going to Finish my thoughts on the Subject there.

I want to Thank both of you for Commenting on my Blog and another Post will be coming Soon.