Yesterday I left out one word in my prayer. I typed my comfort zone.  It is: lead me out of my default comfort zone. What is your default comfort zone? It is something to think about. Whatever our default is, it is fueled by our flesh. Since our flesh profits nothing, anything we do in our flesh is futile. We have to train our heart to respond to what God asks. It will always be for our benefit and His glory.

Eli taught young Samuel how to respond. Samuel heard a voice. 1 Samuel 3:7 says, “(Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor was the word of the Lord revealed to him.)” Eli’s instruction was in verse 9, “…if He calls you, that you must say, Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.” Our flesh does not hear what the Lord is saying. Think of our flesh as noisy, like cymbals on a drum. 

We respond to the Lord’s words because we are ready to hear. We demonstrate our love to Him through obedience. 1 Corinthians 13:1 says, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.” John 14:21 says, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me…”

Quick obedience comes from a prepared heart. One that is trained in listening to act quickly. Proverbs 2:2 says, “So that you incline your ear to wisdom, and lift up your voice to understanding.” Incline means to listen favorably. Samuel inclined his ear. He was ready the moment the Lord spoke.

When the Lord calls us to do something, He desires that our heart was listening so that we could quickly obey. Jeremiah 29:13 Amplified says, “Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me (as a vital necessity) and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” All means without exception. Beware. Our flesh looks for the loopholes of exceptions or contrived excuses.

We need to keep our inner man strong. Ephesians 3:16 Amplified says, “May He grant you out of the rich treasury of His glory to be strengthened and reinforced with mighty power in the innerman by the (Holy) Spirit (Himself indwelling your innermost being and personality).”

Last night I was thinking of regrets. Is there anything in your life that you regret? Regret has to do with the past. We can’t go back and fix it. However, we can use it as a springboard for the present. It will be as a post it note to remind us to not miss any opportunity the Lord sets before us.

I was also thinking about the shame that comes with regret. This is what the Holy Spirit brought to my attention. The Lord does not hold anything against us. Romans 8:33-34 says, “Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”

Regret brings shame which results in self-condemnation. It’s a lie that we have believed. I encourage you to take this before the Holy Spirit and ask Him to reveal your hidden self-condemnation that is linked to your regrets.