Today I want to talk about three things: hearing God’s voice, Frozen 2, and spiritual winters. Quite the combo, huh?

I am in a spiritual winter. I feel numb and out of touch with the Lord. I know he is doing a work in me but I’m struggling to connect in my devotionals, struggling to pray, and worship. And most frustratingly, I am struggling to hear His voice.

This last week my daughter commented how we don’t talk about listening for God’s voice. We always talk about praying and asking God for his will, but we almost never talk about HEARING that response. Do you do that? How many times do we miss moments of spreading the gospel because we, “need to pray about it?” But do we take time to practice listening for God?

Are you looking to walk in God’s will? I am! For many years I struggled with knowing what God wanted me to do, how to “be in his will.” I felt guilty when I worked jobs that weren’t “ministry” jobs or didn’t give five dollars to that sign guy, by my apartment. I felt less than because I couldn’t hear God to do his will.

I would see people who I thought were so spiritual and God was using them; I would be jealous. I wanted God to use me. I still do! One of my most frequent prayers these days is for God to use me. But for years I had almost no idea what that meant.

Now let’s move into Frozen 2! Oh. My. Goodness. I love it! I watch it twice a week and I sob every time, (geez, this girl cries a lot!). Everything about it is fantastic! Especially, Brendon Urie’s cover of ‘Into The Unknown.’ Flawless. But there was an idea that really stood out to me.

This concept of doing “the next right thing.” Anna and Elsa aren’t sure what to do throughout the movie and they are advised to “do the next right thing.” Take it one step at a time. In other words, do what’s in front of you. How does this relate to God’s will?

If you know WHO God is you know what his will is! I know he is a just God (Isaiah 30:18), and he wants me to stand up for justice. He is a generous God (Psalm 36:7-8) and he wants me to give generously. He is love (1 John 4:7-12), and he wants me to speak and behave lovingly! When you know God’s attributes you know what he is calling you to do.

The best way to find God’s will is to learn about who he is. Ask him to reveal his nature to you. Listen. And when you, like myself, find yourself in a spiritual winter, stay in His word. When you know who he is and what his heart for the world is you will know the “next right thing!”

In the gospels we see Jesus send out 72 disciples to perform miracles and declare Jesus. This was before the Holy Spirit had filled them and they didn’t have cell phones to give Jesus a quick call. How did they know how to heal or cast demons out of? They knew because of the time they spent with Jesus! They had seen him heal and cast out demons. They had seen him at work and they knew he ministered to who he came in contact with.

God is placing people in your life. He has filled you with the Holy Spirit. He has given you the greatest love letter ever! He has given you gifts and fruits to use to spread the gospel!

This week take time to do the following:
1. Ask God to use you to minister to people and to place you in situations where you can be his hands and feet.
2. Ask God to reveal his nature to you.
3. LISTEN. Sit in his presence and let him meet you.
4. Do the next right thing!

— Paula Laymon, Pastor of Community Outreach

“After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Luke 10:1-2 ESV