|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The prompt was simple: Holy Spirit, where are you inviting me to step out in bolder ways?
When the Spirit’s Answer Isn’t What We Expect
Recently, in a prayer group, we were reflecting on where the Holy Spirit might be calling us to step out in new and bolder ways this year. A few thoughtful questions, an honest conversation, and you’ve got all the essential elements for a reflective group discussion.
Walking Further Out on the Limb
What I love about questions and prompts is that they can awaken areas of our hearts that may need some exploration. And oftentimes, although the questions may seem straightforward, the answers the Lord whispers in our hearts are often unexpected. At times, they don’t even appear to respond directly to the question we were asked.
Back to the prompt—Holy Spirit, where are you inviting me to step out in bolder ways?
In other words, where are you calling me to walk further out on the limb—to places that require deeper trust and perhaps a measure of discomfort?
The first response I sensed was straightforward: trust the Lord even when the branch feels wobbly, unsteady, or not sturdy enough to hold. Trust blindly, even when you cannot see how it will all work out.
The Unexpected Message
But the second response surprised me. It didn’t seem to have anything to do with the question at all.
I heard the Holy Spirit say:
No rehashing. Only look forward.
Why Replaying the Past Steals Our Peace
Rehashing is the thief of time that leaves us stuck on replay.
How many times have I replayed a past moment—reconsidering the what ifs, the should haves, the words I wish I’d said differently, or not at all? How often have I revisited conversations, decisions, and experiences, examining them from every angle until I felt exhausted by my own thoughts?
Oh, the countless hours I’ve spent stuck on repeat, like a broken record. Rehashing—re (again) and hashing (to chop up)—is the act of chopping up ideas, conversations, and scenarios again and again, advancing nothing and quietly wasting precious time.
Then I heard the Holy Spirit say,
“You can’t hear Me if you are on replay. It’s time to move on.”
Learning to Stop Replaying the Past
When my mind is locked in recycling mode, it is too preoccupied to hear the Lord. Perhaps boldness isn’t always about doing more—it is about releasing what keeps us tethered to yesterday.
This year, I want to live in the present—not replaying the past or rehearsing futures I cannot control.
Trust Begins Where Replay Ends
A relationship built on trust depends on the willingness to let go of control—to believe that God will provide, deliver, and work out the details in His time, even when I cannot see the plan. Trust, I’m learning, is not built in hindsight. It is built on the courage to move forward, even when the branch feels uncertain beneath my feet.
“Trust the past to God’s mercy,
the present to God’s love,
and the future to God’s providence.”
—St Augustine of Hippo
Reflection
- Where do you notice yourself getting stuck on replay, and what helps you return to the present moment with God?
- What is one small step of trust you could take this week instead of revisiting yesterday?
6 Responses
Very good, thought provoking reflection. I find myself doing this same thing. I have been praying the
Litany of Trust to grow in the area of trust. It is hard to break old habits but it is worth the effort to grow.
Right there with you, Laura! Beautiful Litany that reminds me to depend on Him for everything, everyday, every moment. And His grace is enough to break old patterns, praise the Lord!
Love St. Augustine’s quotation!
Yes, someone I know used to keep it on her refrigerator!😁
“Trust the past to God’s mercy,
the present to God’s love,
and the future to God’s providence.”
—St Augustine of Hippo
Thank you. I will keep this quote on my IPhone calendar. This will be my new “rehash”!
Love the God I see in you. Love the power of words He has given you. Love your ability to share share His love.
Thank you, sweet friend! How I treasure you!