How can God’s lovingkindness guide us?

Here’s today’s Spoonful of courage…

Our blind and deaf dog, Bart, illustrates—in some ways—God’s guidance, lovingkindness, and patience. Bart isn’t the brightest dog on our porch. And he’s visually impaired. And he’s deaf. But with all these challenges, Bart finds a way to play fetch with a ball.

Bart has this heightened sense of smell. Since he can’t see where the ball’s thrown. And since he can’t hear us say stuff like, “here Bart, go fetch” he has only his nose.

I often feel like old Blind Bart when it comes to knowing the way. Knowing God’s will, the next step to take in life, the best choice in my circumstances—I feel deaf and blind. And I need God’s grace and lovingkindness to show me how to navigate life’s crazy circumstances.

Now Bart can get on your nerves. And when he’s bothering us—and we want to get rid of him—we throw the ball and let Bart smell his way around the yard. And after a long delay… Bart sniff’s out the ball.

Back to the question, how does God direct, guide, and lead us through our life challenges?

Well, God doesn’t deal with us the way we deal with old Bart. He doesn’t just throw the ball out there, somewhere, and expect us to sniff it out.

God could just leave us to ourselves to figure things out, like we sometimes do with Bart… especially when he’s a nuisance.

How does God do that?

Well here’s two ways grace lead those who believe in Him:

First God gives us his Word. Listen to what the scriptures say. “Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light on my path.” That’s Psalm 119 verse 105.

God gives us objective precepts, principles, and promises to guide us. First, to understand how God’s love leads, look to his word. If there’s conflict between the direction between the way you think you should go and what God says…. Trust me…. That’s not the way.

Let the light of God’s objective truth show you the way.

But God doesn’t just stop there. God’s lovingkindness is more than a set of intellectual principles. Because of the completed work of Christ, we have a personal guide. God has given us Himself—the Counselor, the Helper, the Spirit of Christ.

And if you have truly received Christ… you have His Spirit living within you—walking beside you, showing you the way you should go.

Listen to Romans 8:14. “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children (or Sons) of God.”

God doesn’t treat you like we treat Blind Bart sometimes. He initiates, invites, and comes along with us to show us the way. He offers to come along with us… to give us His presence. The Spirit of Christ doesn’t force us, or push us. The Spirit walks beside us, nudging us on…. Showing us the way we should go.

These two ways God’s lovingkindness leads us, should give us courage.

God doesn’t want to leave us in the dark about what the next step should be. He provides both the objective and the subjective—working together to show us the way we should go.

The Spirit will never lead us in a direction which is contrary to His word. And, of course, the reverse is true.

So if you feel like Blind Bart, take courage. Draw on these two resources which grace offers freely to those who believe. His word and His presence—dwelling within.

Stop, think, and pray about your life circumstances. An all wise, all loving, all powerful, God of grace wants to show you the way.

If you know Christ, God’s lovingkindness will never let you go. And if you’ll ask and seek, He’ll move heaven and earth to show you His will.  

I’m Dr. Chuck. Don’t forget to share this those who may be struggling with God’s will and purpose for their lives.