Who Are You Listening To?

​     You know those moments that stop you in your tracks and make you think. You know those people that seem to always do that for you. Well, about a year ago, my best friend wrote something on Facebook that still has stuck in my mind today. He shared this story and it captivated me that I wanted to share it with you all,

"I'm sure I came across a con-artist a few nights ago. First of all, it was about 10 pm when I went to wal-mart. This short Asian lady was what looked like, waiting for her ride to come pick her up. As I walked closer to the entrance, she was making her way in my direction and so my instinct was to walk in the opposite direction, thinking she was walking to her ride. She catches my attention and was asking for money to help support children in third world countries. She then asked if I was Hmong and I said yes. To where she then says, "Nyob Zoo." Meaning Hi in my native tongue. I vaguely looked at the laminated paper of hand written dollar amounts and random pictures of children and I told her I'm already sponsoring a child but that I appreciate it.  I walk away and the look she gave me was like this on her face: 'Darn it...I almost had him.'  Fast forward to today. I was thinking about it during my shower and was like, 'You know what, Satan will try to do the same.  He'll try to speak your tongue, try to tug at your heart at what means something or has value to you, and he will try to persuade you by the means of enticing.  Giving you what you want to hear.'"

     Hearing his story and reflection on his experience truly got me thinking about how easy it is to be distracted by the voices of this world and hard it is to truly hone into the word of God. I think it is important to remember that Satan poses as an angel of light trying to convince us that what he has for us is beneficial to our lives; when it is not. Now my friend never found out if that ladies intentions were true but I have had friends who have been swindled by people who have seemed to have “good intentions” when in the end it was false. Does that mean that we stop giving to the homeless or believing people who are going through rough times? Does it mean that people asking for money in front of Walmart for children in other countries are all swindlers? No, it doesn’t mean that.
     However, it does mean that we need to be aware. Not only in front of Walmart or another store we shop at but in our everyday lives. We need to be alert that the devil will try to sway us out of our joy, peace, clarity, faith, trust, and hope. In those moments, who are you listening to? When is the last time that you stopped to listen to what you are being told or what you are telling yourself and checked to see if it is God's voice or the World's? I challenge you to stop and do a heart/ear check… who is guiding you? And then call out to God, ask Him if that voice you have been listening to is the wrong voice or His voice. Talk with Him about giving you the strength to discern His voice. Spend time in His Word -- listening to His voice. Ask that He guides you if you have been listening to the wrong voices back to His voice. God is always listening, always there, and calls us by our true name -- Child of God --the devil has no victory over Him. Trust in that victory and lean into His discernment. I pray that you are able to be guided by His voice and trusting in His promises each and every day. 

In Christ,
Jessica Tibben