1 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:13,250 Speaker 1: Life Audio Welcome to the Crosswalk Devotional. We're glad to 2 00:00:13,289 --> 00:00:16,830 Speaker 1: have you listening with us. Today's topic is on resisting 3 00:00:16,930 --> 00:00:21,910 Speaker 1: self-reliance to live more consistently led by Christ. We'll return 4 00:00:21,930 --> 00:00:24,590 Speaker 1: with the devotional after a brief message from our sponsors. 5 00:00:37,990 --> 00:00:41,650 Speaker 1: Faithfully Led by Christ, written and read by Jennifer Slattery. 6 00:00:43,510 --> 00:00:46,190 Speaker 1: After the death of Joshua, the Israelites asked the Lord, 7 00:00:46,570 --> 00:00:49,010 Speaker 1: who of us is to go up first to fight 8 00:00:49,150 --> 00:00:53,850 Speaker 1: against the Canaanites? Judges 1, 1. Some of my deepest 9 00:00:53,910 --> 00:00:58,830 Speaker 1: relational wounds were self-inflicted. I'm presently dealing with the painful 10 00:00:59,050 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: after effects of a situation I created through self-reliance. That's 11 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:05,340 Speaker 1: not to say I never prayed for God's guidance or 12 00:01:05,380 --> 00:01:08,890 Speaker 1: that I didn't try to follow his lead. I did, frequently. 13 00:01:09,630 --> 00:01:13,790 Speaker 1: But I also acted on my emotions and perspectives far 14 00:01:13,870 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 1: too often, particularly during times of conflict. Because of this, 15 00:01:19,459 --> 00:01:22,340 Speaker 1: at times, I did and said things that hurt the 16 00:01:22,380 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 1: other person and damaged our relationship. In fact, when I 17 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:29,970 Speaker 1: consider some of my most painful experiences, I recognize that 18 00:01:29,990 --> 00:01:33,510 Speaker 1: I brought many of them on myself by acting before 19 00:01:33,610 --> 00:01:38,550 Speaker 1: receiving God's guidance, his perspective on the situation, or his 20 00:01:38,610 --> 00:01:42,190 Speaker 1: strength to love others as he loves me. That's one 21 00:01:42,230 --> 00:01:44,790 Speaker 1: reason I find the book of Judges so comforting because 22 00:01:45,290 --> 00:01:51,650 Speaker 1: it highlights God's grace despite humanity's persistent rebellion. The people 23 00:01:51,810 --> 00:01:55,210 Speaker 1: started their new season in the promised land well. The 24 00:01:55,250 --> 00:01:57,890 Speaker 1: Israelites appeared to keep their focus on God and his 25 00:01:57,950 --> 00:02:02,250 Speaker 1: will even for some time after Joshua, their former leader, died. 26 00:02:03,300 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 1: Having witnessed God's miraculous provision and protection during their desert wanderings, 27 00:02:09,540 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 1: these men and women seemed to recognize how much they 28 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:15,650 Speaker 1: needed the Lord's support. At this point in their history, 29 00:02:16,290 --> 00:02:19,910 Speaker 1: it appears they didn't have a strong central leader, no president, king, 30 00:02:20,169 --> 00:02:25,609 Speaker 1: or military commander to follow. Yet, rather than relying on themselves, 31 00:02:26,290 --> 00:02:31,070 Speaker 1: they turned to their true, ever-faithful king, the Almighty. They 32 00:02:31,090 --> 00:02:35,790 Speaker 1: sought his guidance, and he provided, stating in verse 2, 33 00:02:35,790 --> 00:02:38,889 Speaker 1: Judah shall go up. Behold, I have given the land 34 00:02:39,090 --> 00:02:43,970 Speaker 1: into his hand. Verse 4 records the result. Judah went up, 35 00:02:44,210 --> 00:02:46,810 Speaker 1: and the Lord gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into 36 00:02:46,870 --> 00:02:52,730 Speaker 1: their hands, and they defeated 10,000 men at Bezek. Judges 1-4. 37 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:56,740 Speaker 1: This reminds me of the promise recorded in James 1-5, 38 00:02:56,780 --> 00:03:00,200 Speaker 1: which reads, If any of you lacks wisdom, you should 39 00:03:00,260 --> 00:03:03,660 Speaker 1: ask God, who gives generously to all, without finding fault, 40 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:07,800 Speaker 1: and it will be given to you. Intersecting Life and 41 00:03:07,860 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 1: Faith Scripture invites me to come to God with all 42 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:16,350 Speaker 1: my concerns, questions, and confusion. When I do, God never 43 00:03:16,470 --> 00:03:20,710 Speaker 1: responds with frustration or criticism. Instead, He welcomes me close, 44 00:03:21,290 --> 00:03:25,010 Speaker 1: often comforts and strengthens my soul, and provides the wisdom 45 00:03:25,090 --> 00:03:30,459 Speaker 1: I need to navigate life's complexities, with discernment and grace. 46 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:36,180 Speaker 1: Sometimes I quote-unquote hear his directions in the moment. Most often, however, 47 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:39,440 Speaker 1: his guidance comes later in his perfect timing, whether that's 48 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:43,680 Speaker 1: through scripture, a conversation with another Christ follower, or a 49 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:48,480 Speaker 1: growing but gentle conviction from the Holy Spirit. I'm learning 50 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:53,220 Speaker 1: I'm most apt to recognize his voice when I practice 51 00:03:53,340 --> 00:03:56,990 Speaker 1: connecting with him while tuning my spiritual ears to him. 52 00:03:57,380 --> 00:04:02,590 Speaker 1: This intentionality and consistency in everyday experiences helped me recognize 53 00:04:02,630 --> 00:04:05,970 Speaker 1: his voice in situations that feel high stakes, like with 54 00:04:06,010 --> 00:04:09,170 Speaker 1: the relationship I mentioned at the beginning of this devotion. 55 00:04:09,810 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: In my present healing but not yet whole situation, the 56 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:17,780 Speaker 1: Lord provided understanding of the other person's fears and their 57 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:22,250 Speaker 1: hurts I wouldn't have known otherwise. This reduced my tendency 58 00:04:22,310 --> 00:04:26,470 Speaker 1: towards defensiveness while increasing my ability to remain focused on 59 00:04:26,670 --> 00:04:32,330 Speaker 1: the real issue rather than outward behavior symptoms. He's also 60 00:04:32,370 --> 00:04:35,650 Speaker 1: shown me ways some of my past actions caused harm, 61 00:04:36,460 --> 00:04:39,840 Speaker 1: along with how I can interact differently in the future. 62 00:04:41,420 --> 00:04:45,779 Speaker 1: Not only have these divine insights facilitated relational healing, they've 63 00:04:45,980 --> 00:04:50,700 Speaker 1: also dramatically reduced my angst by reminding me that I'm 64 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:53,800 Speaker 1: not alone. I don't have to figure out each step. 65 00:04:54,460 --> 00:04:57,419 Speaker 1: I simply need to follow the one who has promised 66 00:04:57,500 --> 00:05:01,820 Speaker 1: to lead me to his very best, John 10.10. As 67 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 1: I consistently turn to Christ and yield to his spirit within, 68 00:05:05,790 --> 00:05:09,450 Speaker 1: I'm better able to follow the example provided in the 69 00:05:09,529 --> 00:05:14,590 Speaker 1: opening of Judges. As I do, something beautiful occurs. God's 70 00:05:14,990 --> 00:05:19,900 Speaker 1: faithfulness deepens my trust and increases my desire to seek 71 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 1: his guidance before acting or reacting. Again, this takes practice, intentionality, 72 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:30,700 Speaker 1: and consistency, as many of us have spent our entire 73 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:36,810 Speaker 1: lives strengthening our self-reliance. Thankfully, we're not traveling this transformation 74 00:05:36,850 --> 00:05:40,390 Speaker 1: journey alone. The God who led ancient Israel into the 75 00:05:40,430 --> 00:05:44,369 Speaker 1: promised land longs to guide us through our challenges, big 76 00:05:44,510 --> 00:05:49,530 Speaker 1: and small as well. Consider. How might responding to God's 77 00:05:49,630 --> 00:05:55,310 Speaker 1: guidance in everyday situations increase your ability to recognize his 78 00:05:55,350 --> 00:05:59,919 Speaker 1: direction when facing life's bigger battle? And if this is 79 00:05:59,960 --> 00:06:02,580 Speaker 1: an area you long to grow in, I invite you 80 00:06:02,620 --> 00:06:04,960 Speaker 1: to join me and my co-host Carol McCracken on the 81 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:09,140 Speaker 1: Faith Over Fear podcast for our upcoming series on hearing God. 82 00:06:09,860 --> 00:06:15,900 Speaker 1: Because the Lord is leading us. The question is, Are 83 00:06:15,940 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 1: we alert and responsive to His guidance? 84 00:06:24,190 --> 00:06:27,150 Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to today's devotional. If you liked what 85 00:06:27,190 --> 00:06:29,270 Speaker 2: you heard today, we want to make sure you know 86 00:06:29,330 --> 00:06:33,270 Speaker 2: about our sister podcast, Your Daily Prayer. When you follow 87 00:06:33,330 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 2: Your Daily Prayer in your favorite podcast app, you'll get 88 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:39,800 Speaker 2: a brand new prayer and devotional each day, so your 89 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:43,480 Speaker 2: days begin in conversation with God. 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