When we first got sheep, I was amazed at how "not smart" these animals are. Not even joking.. They have these huge eyes that just beat back at you as you try to direct them where they need to go. However, they want to go every which way BUT where you want them to go. Trying to herd them, that was an interesting task to say the least.

Over time, they learned. They learned that if we called out "Sheeeeeep," that meant it was time for supper. They knew we'd be letting them out to graze. They knew that when we called them, that something good was coming.  It took learning our voices, gaining trust, and realizing that we were indeed providing them with what they needed. If it was anyone else calling them but us, they wouldn't listen. They didn't recognize the voice. They didn't know, so they didn't go. 

Now, we don't even have to call them. If they see us come out in the morning, they walk right where they know they're going, to the fence that will be opened and to the field they will go- fresh grass. They recognize us. They know their shepherds.

As I was reading my devotionals this morning, I reread John 10: 25-30. In there, it says: "The works that I do in my Father's name testify about me. But you don't believe because you are not of my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish." 

My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. 

Suddenly, I felt like the sheep He was speaking of.

How often do we pause in our days to take time to hear the Lord in our own lives? If the sheep must hear the shepherd's voice to be directed to the grazing grounds, wouldn't we be wise to do the same? Shouldn't we learn the Word, take time to worship, to grow in our relationship with Christ so that we, too, can hear His voice and walk in the path, be led by Him, and someday experience the eternal life that He promises in which we will never perish?

Don't we, in a sense, become like the shepherd to those around us? If we take the time to learn His word, to allow Him to live through us, won't the lives of those around us be impacted? Couldn't we make Him known to those around us who might not have ever heard of this Jesus guy? Like sheep, we have to learn. Like sheep, they too, those who've never heard of Him, those who've never experienced Him, those who've never heard of His birth, death, and resurrection, they too, can learn. We can all experience this beautiful life He's created for us, and the even more beautiful life He's promised to us once we're gone from this earth, but it requires effort. It requires learning and trust and going when we hear Him call. 

Really, we're all like the sheep. We can be wide eyed and confused and become distracted by the noises around us, or we can keep our focus on our Shepherd, the one who wants the green grass, the fresh water for us. 

It's easy to let the noise of the world drown out the voice of the Lord. If the sheep are in the middle of a city surrounded by buildings and traffic, it'd be hard for them to hear their shepherd speaking. The same for us. If we allow people's opinions, work, activities, the list is endless, to be louder than Him, we will find ourselves straying from His path.

I know firsthand how easy it is to let that happen because I've allowed the busyness of life to take priority over quiet time with the Lord and I can tell you how incredibly noisy my thoughts, mind, and therefore, my life, became because of it. Sleep was minimal, stress was monumental, it wasn't good. I will tell you that it does take a daily choice, sometimes multiple times per day, to make it a priority, to make it happen, and to choose time with Him over things I have to get done. There will always be things that need to be done, but if you don't make Him a priority, then time with Him just won't happen.

Can I encourage you to pause today? To take time to just sit somewhere, close your eyes, and just be. If your thoughts try to race to what you have to get done, don' let them go there. Be in the present moment. Listen for Him. Listen to the birds that He put on this earth chirping. Listen to the calm breeze. Listen to the beautiful world around you. He's in it all and He created it just for you. Like the sheep, it might take some time to learn, but He won't give up on you. 

He'll keep pursuing you, wooing you, providing you with the best grazing grounds, the ice cold water on a hot day. He'll call His sheep, and though the pastures might be new and unfamiliar, His sheep will trust His voice and come running because they know His voice will lead to abundant life. 

One. 

All it takes is one.

Hey Hil, that's how your last post started. Yes, I know! 

One thing could change everything. Your outlook, your attitude, your entire life. 

What if that one thing is detrimental to our daily lives? What if we become so focused on this one thing that we become someone we don't even recognize?

A marriage. A job. A television show. A relationship. Pornography. Sex. A relationship outside of your marriage or current relationship. Drugs. Bitterness. Negative thoughts. Laziness. Unforgiveness. Hate. Lying. Stealing. Cheating. Indulgence.

We take one little step into the waters and suddenly it's all we ponder on, all that we can do in our daily life, all that consumes our minds. On one end, we're sinking in the waters, knowing that where our focus is and what we're doing stands completely contrary to the life God wants us to lead, yet on the other hand, the devil has us believing we're swimming in a pristine lake of calmness and goodness, supplying us with a raft and cool drink so we'll stay awhile. 

We take up the offer. Throw down our towel on the shore, lay on it for awhile, then move over to the raft to cool off. It's pretty cozy here, so might as well stay for just one more drink. 

That's where the problem begins. We say just one more, yet slowly we become entangled with it and suddenly we're in the deep and we don't know how to get back to shore. We lose hope and decide that we might as well stay there.

We've all been there, haven't we? We've all experienced different struggles in our lives, things that have become idols in our lives without us sometimes even realizing it. Some of us do realize it, but don' t know how to get away from it. We feel lost, unworthy, and unlovable.

The thing is, even when we fall, even when we've become so focused on these things that we don't even realize we're in over our heads, that the raft actually deflated and suddenly the water is churning, the wind against you, pushing you farther out away from the shore.. even then, the Lord is still with you. 

He will not allow you to drown. He will not leave you to be food for the fish or the whales. Remember when Jesus walked on water? In Matthew 14:28, Peter says to Jesus, "Lord, if it's you, command me to come to you on the water." Peter started walking on the water, but became afraid after feeling the wind blowing against him, and he started to sink. He cried out, "Lord, save me!" Jesus response.. "You of little faith, why did you doubt?" Then they got into the boat and the wind ceased. 

You see, he doesn't provide us with a raft that's going to deflate. Our lifeguard has the floats, the lifejackets, and the strong, hefty boat. He can make us walk on water. He has everything we need to get us safely back to shore. 

Sometimes it gets to the point that we feel as if we're drowning in whatever is coming against us before we will take His hand. It requires us to lay down ourselves and surrender it all to Jesus, and I know, it's extremely hard. It requires vulnerability, it takes admitting we were in the wrong. It requires grace, to ourselves and to others. It requires change, and change is never all that easy, but our idols must fall. 

You might be scared, you might not know what life will look like without that thing taking up so much of your life, but don't let that stop you.  Sure you might have to relearn how to live your daily life. That's fine. You can do it. Take the first step. Jesus is there to take your hand when you trust Him, just as He did for Peter. It'll feel as if the wind is against you at first, but the winds will cease. 

You'll realize that the one thing that consumed your life becomes less of an idol, maybe overnight, maybe it takes days, or months, possibly even years. The waters become calmer, and you feel as if you jumped into the most refreshing pond. One of grace, joy, peace, and love. One that promises everlasting life. One that He wants us to swim in, to throw our anchor in, and jump in with our friends.

All the while, He's our lifeguard, keeping watch over us, never leaving, never forsaking, always there to rescue us when we go too far in the deep end and start to lose our strength to swim back. Nothing will ever be too strong for Him, too much for Him, too this or too that for Him. He's got our backs, and He isn't going anywhere.

One.

All it takes is one.

One word.
One conversation.
One job.
One workout session. 
One friendship.
One relationship. 
One disagreement.
One dream.
One moment of insane courage.
One hour.
One minute.
One second. 

One thing could change everything. Your outlook, your attitude, your entire life. 

What's your one thing?
What's the one thing that projected your life into what it is now? 
What is the one thing that could change everything for you?

Is there one thing you've been contemplating in your mind, but haven't done it because you're held back by fear of the unknown, of what could happen, of the what-ifs, the uncertainty, the opinions of others. The conversation you've wanted to have, the relationship you've wanted to repair, the dream you've wanted to chase, but something has been holding you back? 

When we focus on the one thing- the fear, the hurt, the pain, the doubt, the disagreement, the uncertainty, on the bad, on the things that are contrary to what He says of us, that's when we lose the power to become all that God created us to be. We become held back by the chains of this world and forget whose we are, whose image we were created in, why we are here. 

It's easy to focus on those things. This world thrives on the bad, on situations that create fear and chaos in the world, on belittling others, on succeeding at the expense of others. We have a bad few minutes and we let that dictate how the rest of our day will go. 

Let's stand up firmly against those thoughts, against a life lived half-empty, against days where we live to just get through our days. He didn't create us to live a life like that. Let's instead focus on the good- the good, encouraging, hopeful, honest, loving moments. 

All it takes is one.

One smile.
One hug.
One word of encouragement.
One date.
One verse. 
One conversation.
One coffee for the person behind you in line.
One chance. 
One.

Be the one for someone today. The world needs you. The world needs your light, your abilities, right where you are, right as you are.

Don't think you need to change who you are to be that one.
He created you as you are, every detail, every flaw, every inch of who you are, for His perfect plan. 

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. You have purpose.

You are the one this world needs. You are the one your family needs. You are the one your friends need. You are the one your community needs. You are the one your church needs. You are the one your coworker needs. You are the one the stranger at the grocery store needs. You are the one.