I know a girl who’s in talks with a young man about getting married.
One of the reasons I’ve dubbed it “talks” rather than “they’re perfect for each other and already engaged” is because there is a…helpful… auntie who keeps asking about children.
Both the girl and the young man have heard From God that “kids are great, but so is y’all’s Calling From Me, so, like… no.”
(This doesn’t mean that they won’t end up having kids, just that they’re going into this knowing that their mutual dream of several children isn’t going to happen–or, rather, that God (as they believe, anyway) Said “don’t get hung up on this. It might STILL happen–but perhaps through adoption. Or not at all. But get used to the idea from now, and throw y’all’selves into what I Have thusly Revealed to you!” (In other news, I fully believe that God Still Can and Absolutely Does Throw an Isaac Test at some people, at times. I also believe that people might hear His Words perfectly–but interpret them less-perfectly. But that’s another story for another day.)
ANYWAY, one main thing the auntie keeps saying is “I can’t stop nagging you about this until you tell me about the Kids Clause (TM)!”
The girl is like “I can’t tell this chick that we literally HEARD FROM GOD coz she’ll be like
1) you’re insane,
2) you’re making this up, and/or
3) how do you know that wasn’t satan or your own head?”
So the point of her distress is “HOW can I both BE HONEST–as much as she has a right to know, anyway–AND get her off my back??!”
Someone raised in the USA in an only-USA-peeps fam might not understand this dilemma, but just go with it for a sec.
Coz this Word DID drop into my head From God, and perhaps it can help you, too. Simply put:
“The problem here is the way it’s being FRAMED; if you say ‘God Told me,’ then you’re both inviting trouble (auntie ain’t so spiritual), but ALSO and MORESO you’re ‘disowning’ the (alleged) prophetic word. You’re throwing it On your GOD, and not OWNING the decree. Not ACCEPTING it, or INTERNALISING it.”
Or, in other words, if God Told me to NOT take a teaching job because I’m supposed to be a psalmist and part-time ministry matriarch, I don’t need to say to my family “God Informed me that He Made me to both sing and help peeps out in a non-profit that’s gonna ROCK, yo!” I can just say “after looking at all the options and praying about it, I feel this is the way forward.”
(In my case, I actually did say that bit about psalms and ministry, verbatim, lol.)
The problem again is not necessarily the verbiage, but the fact that if I GENUINELY believed It was REALLY God Who Said all that stuff to me, aka “This BE MY WILL for you, girl!” and I did NOT internalise or adopt it as my own, then that’s, like, a problem.
So I’m not parroting His Answer anymore, it became MY answer now… Because He Said it.
I’m accepting it. Taking ownership of it. Declaring (not in the weird Decree and Declare way that is super-unBiblical, btw) it as my intent and my policy or decision.
Which, again, means that we’ve adopted WHATEVER God Said… Simply because He Said it.
Another example: If God Wants you to take or avoid a particular type of job, you don’t have to say “God Said that this has to happen, man!” but you CAN say, “Ok, I’ve been at a desk job for 15 years, and now I’m kinda getting old, my back hurts, so I’m no longer applying for jobs where I have to stand or sit for long periods of time. I might have to start from scratch, but that is just life.”
That all said, there’s the possibility that a college freshman who, for example, has a well-paying job in a restaurant where she’s required to wear clothing that isn’t, um, church-ready, but then she gives her life To JESUS (YAAYYY, SIS!!! PRAISE GOD!! WELCOME TO THE FAM, GIRL!!!! :)))))
And her mom, a single parent who has never been into The Bible, doesn’t understand why the young lass gave the restaurant notice that she “can no longer wear this outfit thingie” and does “NOT want to leave a place where I’ve been for three years… a place I consider family!” and “respectfully requests a wardrobe accommodation…” (but we all know that she’s saying Bye, Y’all).
“Are you insane? You’ll never find a job that pays half that!!”
“Sorry, Ma, but I belong To Jesus, now. And dressing in that skimpy get-up is not something I can do anymore–not just coz The Bible Says to be modest, but because it’s like I’m robbing my future husband, too.”
“Um, where in tarnation does it say that?”
“The last bit is how I feel, and some verses about modesty include 1 Corinthians 12:23, 1 Timothy 2:9-10, as well as this one here about being a stumbling block, yo.”
“Um, as previously mentioned, daughter, thou art INSANE. I will NOT allow you to leave this job! Do you WANT us to get evicted if we can’t pay the rent here? You KNOW my corns won’t let me work anymore!”
“I will work two jobs if I have to, Mama. But if you can’t understand why I will no longer stay on at a place that requires me to wear this SKIMPY trash where most of my body is on display, then I understand that you have to do what you think is right. I’ll miss you. I love you forever.”
“NO, you beastlyanna! If you REALLY loved me then you wouldn’t force me to get some rent-controlled SHANTY in the projects or whatever they’re called! You don’t love me at all! You’re heartless! Who would allow their elderly mama to ROT in some slum, JUST because she suddenly ‘got religion’ –and a super-misogynistic one, to boot! What kind of HORRIBLE Christian are you, doesn’t The Bible say all that stuff about respect your elders and honour thy mom and stuff? And submit to the governing authority?? FAKER FAKER, CANDLESTICK MAKER!!”
“I’m still learning about my new life as a follower Of JESUS, The Christ, but I can tell you that The Bible DOES Address that, Mama! Check it out: God Rescued Daniel and Shadrach and all them, and gave super-big Props to the Hebrew midwives who refused to kill babies, and the Sanhedrin were being bratty, until Peter was like, Um, no.”
“Uh… I’m still at the part about super-big props. Coz, like, is it gonna KILL you to flash YOUR super-big props to keep us in this super-big prop…erty? PLEASE, GIRL!”
“I guess the writing’s on the wall… and we both lost this round of ‘Family Feud.’ I’m sorry, Ma. I tried. I’ll be out of my room by dinner time.”
“NO, YOU HORRIBLE EXCUSE FOR A DAUGHTER! IF YOU’RE SO HOT TO TROT (and still refuse to PRANCE LIKE A FILLY–TO HELP KEEP A ROOF OVER OUR HEADS!) THEN GO NOW! TICK TOCK, TICK TOCK! SNAP IT UP OR I’MA CALL THE LAW ON YOU! TRAITOR! ACTUALLY, letting the cops handle you is EXHIBIT X-TEENTH of MUMSY being too merciful to baby BRAT, yet again! UNGRATEFUL HELLION! GIMME THAT KIDNEY!”
~
Um… oh, dear. I’m not sure where that came from, lol.
ANYWAY, I think I made my point (which I’ve now forgotten what that even was. Lol, sorry friends :)
Wishing you a blessed day and hope some small fragment of this fracas is helpful to you.
Much love In Christ Jesus,
sb
<3
METANOiA Means 