By Stephanie Salisbury

I used to be one of those people who rolled my eyes when someone said, “God told me…”

Seriously? He told you like He told Noah to build an ark? Or Moses to lead people out of Egypt? Or Abraham that he’d be the father of nations? But I’ve found out as I’ve prayed, read and listened for Him more that He speaks to us every day. There may not be lightning, thunder, or burning bushes, but the theatrics make no difference if we’re discerning His voice from other voices.

It’s not easy to drop everything and follow His lead. I discovered long ago I wasn’t the only one with excuses and hesitations. Not everybody in the Bible said, “Oh, yeah, God. Let me do that right now.”

Moses, a stutterer, felt it wasn’t the greatest idea to lead people. Abraham and his wife laughed at God for suggesting they’d get pregnant in their old age and even came up with a plan of their own, borne out of disbelief that God could/would do what He said. So my little excuses and hesitations are just more in a long line.

When God told me to stop working in a toxic environment, I said, “But… the money is good and we can’t afford for me to quit!”

When He told my husband to go to school fulltime, I said, “Well, we certainly can’t afford that!”

When He told me to stop being a stubborn jerk and start loving people I’d cut off, I said, “But… I don’t wanna!” (Eventually, I came around.)

I knew it was His voice because they were things that I didn’t have any inclination to do on my own. They scared me and made me uncomfortable, but I felt like I was supposed to do them anyhow. Ever been there? Standing on the edge of a cliff afraid to jump, thinking, “There’s no way I’ll survive!”

God has a parachute.

God’s never going to tell you to do something that’s not right. When you think you hear Him, put it to the test. Read the Bible. Know His character. Remember, when He’s leading you, you’re in good hands. If you’re leading you, that’s rarely the case!

I’ve never been happier or more fulfilled in life than when I’ve listened for His voice and heeded it.

Stephanie Salisbury writes for a blog called “A Journey of Reinvention.” Find it on Facebook or at www.AJourneyofReinvention.com.