I went through a very long season of God leading me in ways that created judgment from my brothers and sisters and even rejection.

The way He was leading me was unconventional, and it was not “the church way” in many respects.

Honestly, the way He led me was the opposite of what I was taught — it sent me searching and caused me to go into His presence and seek Him in ways I had never done before. I wanted to know His Word through His heart and not through man’s interpretation or the way we’ve been taught for generations.

God showed me that many of the ways we do church is serving man’s vision, not His.

I was on my face, undone, and overwhelmed, but I knew God was doing something in me to share with you — I knew I needed to make a decision to be fully surrendered, and all in ways beyond my understanding.

During one of my conversations…scratch that — protests with God, I asked, “When are you going to stop leading me to do things that are getting me criticized and judged?

His reply was sobering.

He said, “When will you stop caring about what they think?”

Those words penetrated my heart and sunk deep into my soul.

I began to get a greater revelation of what He was doing.

He said, “If you have any ounce of people pleasing in you or a need to have the approval of others over Mine, you cannot accomplish the plans I have for you. You cannot go where I want to send you. You cannot follow through and do what I tell you. If you have a need in you to be liked and accepted by man or concern yourself with what others may think, it will cloud your ability to hear My voice and follow Me.

When I was faced with another situation where I knew I was getting judged, He would whisper to my heart, “Who are you living for, them or Me?”

I chose Him.

This season was long and at times, lonely. But as I relented to the process He had me on and allowed the Holy Spirit to shape and mold me into a confident Jesus follower, I stopped caring about what my mockers and critics had to say — I was following Jesus.

I was listening to His lead in every area of my life and doing what my Father said to do…even if it meant going in the complete opposite direction of everyone else or saying no when the pressure to say yes was evident.

The chains of living for others broke and I began to understand the fullness of life and freedom in living only for Him.

The peace I experience as I live in step with Jesus far outweighs the stress of being under what others think and say, or what others feel I should be doing to the point that I end up stressed, anxious, overextended and burnt out.

I don’t live that way — His burden is light, and His yoke is easy.

The peace I have in this private knowing — He sees, He knows, He’s pleased with me, and I don’t need to exhaust myself with explanation is my freedom!

If He says it, I listen.

If He says go, I follow.

If He says no, I trust.

If He says wait, I worship Him in the waiting.

Friend,

I’m going to ask you some challenging questions today.

I want you to dig deep with and ask yourself before the Lord:

Are you following Jesus, or are you following Him through man’s interpretation and ideologies?

Are you sensitive to His lead and His voice in your life?

Are you willing to be misunderstood and even judged to obey the direction and call that God has for you?

God asked me and now I’m going to ask you…

Are you living for them or Him?

God wants to take each of us on a very private and personal journey of trust and obedience.

As we surrender our way, our needs, our will, our ideas — even the way we’ve always done it, and fully surrender to the lead of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we will accomplish more for the Kingdom of Heaven and live out the mandate of the church.

We will end up united in a way that reaches far beyond a church building, no longer concerning ourselves with what others may think or say because we’re about our Father’s business.

This is God’s heart for His church.

Pull away with Him.

Learn to hear His voice for your life.

Trust and follow Him.

“My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.” -John 10:27 (NIV)