Episode 71: Q&A with Gari and Carla
Every so often Gutsy Faith hosts an episode with YOUR questions as the topic. In this episode we’re going deep into these questions:
How can I tell the difference between listening to God or the enemy?
What is something God is teaching you (Gari and Carla) in this season?
What should I do when I’ve been hurt by my church or people from my church? Should I stay or should I go? (Church, relationships, friendships)
Question 1: God’s voice is the voice of the good shepherd. It’s a fiercely protective voice, and yet, tender and inviting to those He loves. One way to discern if it’s the Lord or the enemy is to put the voice through a test:
Does the voice lead to peace, hope, healing, joy, or purpose? If so, you can feel assured it’s the Lord’s.
The Lord’s voice can also lead to gentle conviction. This gentle nudging leads to repentance and change. God’s voice has no shame, accusation, or guilt. If you’re hearing these, it’s not the voice of the Lord.
Question 2: One thing’s for sure, we will be hurt by other people, and that includes church people. The best way to deal with this is to decide ahead of time to live unoffended. If we allow many offenses to settle in the soil of our heart, roots of bitterness will always grow. Keeping the soil of our hearts tilled and turned over by His grace will allow us to bear much fruit, regardless of what hurt us.
When it comes to deciding if we should stay somewhere or go, we must realize we can both LOVE and LEAVE. The key is praying to God for direction, clarity, and timing. If we follow His lead, we will know what to do. We can leave a place well, and continue to offer forgiveness and love. Everyone wins in this model. The Apostle Paul says “As much as it depends on you, be at peace with all men…” He realizes we won’t be at peace with everyone, but as much as we can…we should try.
Question 3: Gari and Carla share what they are currently learning in this season of time…(Hint: Gari’s is trust and Carla’s is discipline.)
Have thoughts or questions about today’s episode? Message us or leave a comment below.