Voice

I drove back to Nashville last weekend in order to pack up the rest of my house.  On the drive, I listened to some talks from FOCUS Conference (because I haven't been getting enough FOCUS talks at Training?).  One was about the "Most Dangerous Women in History", given by Amanda Graf.  She spoke about 4 amazing women that each changed the world in their own way by doing as God asked them to do.

The story of one of these women in particular struck something within me.  This woman was born of a peasant family, and never learned how to read or write.  She was great at sewing and spinning.  It was during a time of war in her country, when she was 16, that this young girl felt it was her duty to go to the aid of her king, who was finding himself in a rather desperate situation with his army.  This girl had never ridden a horse, never used a sword... so what on earth did she think she was doing?  Why would she ever think she could help?  Why would she put her life on the line to attempt such a thing?

Well, you see, she had a reason.  What was her reason?  ... She heard a voice.  Yes, a voice.

... Really?  A voice.  But... that doesn't make sense.  That's not realistic.  Actually, that's rather ridiculous.  I would even say crazy.  Yeah, this girl is crazy.

Actually, this girl is Saint Joan of Arc.

Her story is an incredible example of heroic faith.  She followed the will of God, not knowing what would lie ahead.  She did what she was told, even if it didn't make sense, even if it wasn't realistic, and even if it might have seemed a little crazy.

What power faith can have if we would only do what God asks us to!  Sometimes I wish so badly that God would just speak out-loud to me, with an audible sound, telling me what I should do.  But instead, He speaks to me through that soft, quiet voice inside my soul.  For me, this voice requires even more faith to believe, because after He whispers, He allows me to second-guess myself just so I can realize (an agonizingly long time later) that I can trust that voice.

I must learn to listen to that voice, test it, and once I am sure it is indeed the Holy Spirit, do as it says without hesitation!  Do it, and do it well!  And then, if we just do that, we will become saints.  Wow, how patient God is that He continually whispers and waits for us to listen, allows us to exercise our free will, and guides us by the hand as we try follow through, if that is what we choose.  He doesn't even make us do His will.  He simply invites us to do it, through that still, small voice.  What a privilege!