Let the Spirit Take the Lead
Adapted from Hearing from God Each Morning
I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you in the way that you should go.
Most people are afraid not to be like everyone else. Many people are more comfortable following specified rules than daring to follow the leading of God's Spirit. When we follow man-made rules, we please people, but when we step out in faith and follow God's Spirit, we please Him. We do not need to feel pressured to pray a certain way for a certain length of time or to focus on specific things because other people are doing so. Instead, we need to be free to express our uniqueness as we pray the way God is teaching us. God uses each of us to pray about different things and that way all the things that need to be prayed about get covered.
Somehow we feel safe when we are doing what everyone else is doing, but the sad thing is that we will feel unfulfilled until we learn to "untie the boat from the dock," so to speak, and let the ocean of God's Spirit take us wherever He wills. I spent many years tied to the dock following specified rules and regulations of prayer that others had taught me and it was a good beginning, but eventually my prayer experience became very dry and boring. When I learned to untie my boat from the dock and give myself to the leadership of the Holy Spirit, a freshness and creativity came and it has been wonderful. I find that the Holy Spirit leads me differently almost every day as I pray, and I no longer do it according to rules, regulations, and time clocks.
Start right now asking God to show you who you are in the uniqueness He has given you and to help you hear and follow His voice according to the one-of-a-kind, wonderful way He has created you.
Prayer of the Day: Holy Spirit, free me from comparison and man-made expectations. Teach me to pray in the unique way You created me, and help me follow Your leading with confidence and joy, amen.
