"God told me to..." and other things I hate to hear people say.

I hate to use the word hate, but sometimes I can't think of another word that really describes how I feel. I guess I could say that it really disturbs me when..., but I feel like that is its own kind of PC/patronizing kind of phrase.

Maybe I'm just jealous that God doesn't speak to me in such a clear voice that I can say, "God told me..."  I have certainly prayed over situations and felt that God was leading me in a certain direction. I have shared in sermons and posts things that I feel that God has revealed to me as I read the Bible. But I can really only think of one time when I felt the confidence to say that I heard God speak to me about a matter that I was praying about.

When a politician says that God told him (or her) to run for office, what do you say when you lose? That God didn't say you would win? That the hundreds of thousands of dollars of others people's money spent on your campaign was for your personal growth? That God was defeated by ungodly people at the polls?

When God tells you to quit your job and move to another city and it doesn't work out, was God wrong?

I know that we often go through hardships that make us stronger and prepare us for things to come. I believe that God uses our past to help us in the present. I know that I have no understanding of God's ways nor knowledge of His plans. I know that I have misread God's instructions and direction in my own life as much, or more than pretty much everyone I know. Maybe I need to have more faith that God really is speaking to me and my decisions are not clouded by my desires.

Okay, so I'll concede that maybe I just don't understand how somebody can be so certain that their actions are by God's command. I'm still going to find it difficult to place a lot of trust in that person, but I'll relent from my hatred of the phrase.

I was going to go on about a few other things that bug me, but I'll save those for another post.

I should mention that there are things that God does clearly tell us. He commands us to love Him and to love one another. He commands us to tell others about his love and grace. Best of all, He tells us that he loves us!

Whether or not God spoke to me in an audible voice or through his Word, I do believe that God told me to tell you that He loves you and sent his Son, Jesus, to die for you.

John <><