I'm scheduled to speak at a women's conference this week-end. It's
been on my calendar for a while and the details have been worked out
with the conference host for some time now. I've spoken to her and
received email confirmations regarding the date, time, and
accommodations. But a few days ago, I began receiving conflicting
reports about the conference.
Lots of people started citing
changes to the schedule that I had not been made aware of. I was
growing a bit concerned, particularly because the reports of these
impromptu adjustments became so numerous.
I started thinking I
must have received misinformation, or at the very least, I'd been left
out of the loop on the whole thing. I was baffled. "How could
everything change without me knowing about it?" I wondered. I had been
in communication with the planner. I had all my confirmations.
What was going on?
Tired
of feeling conflicted, confused, and doubtful about what I'd been told,
I decided to head straight to the source to clear things up. I
personally phoned the conference host to express my concern and to
confirm the details.
"Everything is the same," she assured me.
She then proceeded to explain that some clarifying information was
missing from the marketing materials sent out to the public. So, they
were unclear about the details and were mistaken.
Not me.
I hung up the phone feeling much better, but the whole experience made me think about something I want to share with you.
Sometimes,
God will reveal His plans to us and also confirm His word. We'll feel
confident and assured about what He said until others introduce
conflicting opinions. They begin to challenge what we know and believe.
As a result, the loud chorus of dissenting voices drown out what God told us.
We
begin to question and doubt the very things we were certain of, before
naysayers got involved. And instead of holding onto what God shared
with us, we allow outside sources to sway us.
But today, God
wants you to know that His word concerning you has not changed. It
endures forever. The Bible says, "The grass withers and the flower
fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever" (1 Peter 1:24b-25
NIV). The promises He's made will not be broken.
His word
stands, no matter what others think or say. Quite often, those who
discourage your faith and shake your confidence in God's word, aren't
privy to the inside information you have. You see, that revelation the
Lord has given you isn't for public consumption.
So, you know what others do not. You can see what they are unable to
see. That's why you have to be careful not to get sucked into what
everyone else is saying. At times, you have to take a step back and
ask, "What did GOD say?"
For in the end, that's all that matters.
Listen; I know how easy it can be to be deterred by opposing views,
opposite opinions, and other perspectives. But when you've been in
communication with the originator of the plan and you know beyond any
doubt that He's spoken to you, hold on to what He said.
There's
no need to doubt or waver; we serve a faithful God. And because
God's word stands forever, we can stand on His word!
As always, thanks for reading, and until next time... may you be empowered to prosper!
Dianna Hobbs
