In the wee hours of the morning…when I first begin to exercise my brain though my eyes are not yet functioning…I sometimes hear a voice of discouragement telling me things designed to pull me down. “There’s no hope for you. Just give up. You are a total failure. You will never get past the regret and guilt of certain decisions.”
A few years ago, a friend reminded me to distinguish between the voices that want my devotion; the voice of the Savior vs. that of the enemy.
Its not hard to discern the voices when I am in my Quiet Time or in a Bible Study or some other “spiritual” activity. But when I am caught “off guard” in a vulnerable state it can become very confusing. Charles Stanley uses an acronym for these times: H.A.L.T. = Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired
The voice of Jesus tells me “I love you and want the very best for you. You are mine and I will provide for you. Find your hope in me and trust me even when you don’t understand what’s going on.” Any thoughts of defeat or doubt are NOT from the Lord.
My waking moments are much better now!
byf8h 