February 28, 2022
Red Light, Green Light
Suzanne Eller
Today’s Truth
And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will (Romans 8:27 NLT).
Friend to Friend
Walking with our littles was often complicated. Bicycles raced down one side of the trail. Families, dogs, and children were in the other. Children rode scooters or skateboards. Runners raced by.
Trying to keep them safe didn’t always work until we started playing a fun game.
Red light. Yellow light. Green light.
If they raced ahead or arrived at a curve or close to a busy street, I’d call out, “red light.”
Regardless of how fast they were going, they’d stop. Yellow light meant slow down. Green light meant go, go, go! Making this a game made it fun, but it also made it safer for them.
When life is overwhelming, we may not know what to do.
We are tempted to run in one direction or another or have the opposite reaction and shut completely down. Then there’s that limbo place where we want to go one way or another but are unsure which way to turn. So, we feel stuck.
Romans 8:27 reminds us, “And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.” The Holy Spirit knows the heart of the Father for us in each of these situations.
He knows when we should stop, go, or wait. That might be a sense of peace, or a feeling deep inside. Whatever it looks like, as we listen for His voice we receive a red light, yellow light, or green light that helps us in the moment.
Red light: Stop daughter. Let Me help you work through that emotion. It comes from a wounded place. If you react now, it will only create more wounds for you, and for that person standing in front of you.
Yellow light: This isn’t your job, sweet daughter. Let Me do the work needed. I know you can’t see what I’m doing but trust Me. That’s all I ask of you.
Green light: Time to go, go, go! You are brave and strong. You can do this thing even though you are afraid. I’ll show you the next step.
As we listen to the Holy Spirit, we are tuned into the heart of God – over that circumstance, over that moment, and over our lives. God knows that we wrestle with mixed feelings and that the direction is not always clear.
Thankfully, He also knows what is around the corner. We can be overwhelmed in the heat of the moment or join in with the heart of the Father, which allows us to put on the brakes, take that huge leap of faith, or trust Him as we wait for clear direction.
In all of these we are still moving toward our destination, but in the safety of His love.
What is God saying to you today about your circumstances? Red light? Green light? Yellow light? Leave a comment and let’s compare colors!
Let’s Pray
Heavenly Father, thank You for walking with me daily. I don’t always know which way to go, or how to respond, but You do. Thank You for coming alongside. Thank You that You know what is ahead of me. As I listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit, thank You for keeping my feet on the path You have carved for me, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
What is one way to listen for the Holy Spirit?
James 1:5 encourages us to ask for wisdom. Ask the Holy Spirit for that wisdom, which the Bible says God longs to give generously, often. Not just in the big things, but in all things. The more you ask, the more you are listening, and the more you begin to recognize His voice above all the noise.
More from the Girlfriends
In Suzie’s book, JoyKeeper: 6 Truths That Change Everything You Thought You Knew About Joy, you are invited to explore six JoyKeeper truths to confront the joy stealers in your life.
One truth is that “God cares about your feelings.” This freeing truth allows us to freely share our emotions, questions, doubts, and hopes with Him. In JoyKeeper, Suzie offers practical steps to do just that.
Discover a free 5-day JoyKeeper Bible reading plan for you at Bible.com.
© 2022 by Suzanne Eller. All rights reserved.
Originally published Monday, 28 February 2022.
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