Ep. 2 Don't Fret, It's Set!

You ever feel anxious about hearing God's plan for your life? Maybe your waiting on God to speak to you about a specific problem or circumstance but you haven't heard Him. It's so easy to get discouraged and feel anxious on if God will ever answer those prayers. Everybody at some point in their life finds themselves in this area. In todays episode we talk about what it really means to hear from God and how we are to cast our anxieties onto Him so He can handle the situations before us. 

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:04

Hey everyone. This is Stephen Farmer and welcome to your weekly check podcast. Today's episode is titled don't fret it's set. And basically just the other day, I had kind of written out something on my Instagram story, asking the viewers and people who follow me and just friends and family members. Um, basically what it is that you would like for me to cover on the podcast. I have ideas of my own and things that I want to talk about topics that are on my mind. And I have some things that I've written in my journal years ago that I kind of want to write about. I had a, a, um, a blog that I wrote back when I was probably a freshman or sophomore in college. It was titled the contents of Steven's heart. Um, I'll probably talk about some of those things, because those were things on my mind, those things that I was going through at 19 years old, 20 years old, 21 years old. And, um, it's things that I think that, I mean, obviously any 19 year old, 20 year old, 21 year old would probably be going through. Um, and so I know that I can talk about those things. There is a kind of a message point of talking about, you know, kind of taking a step back and seeing what God's doing in your life and how he can take your breath away. And, uh, and just a moment a time, and you can be sitting there serving and it's those moments. And so I was talking about the gasp, and so I was going to share on that, but after a while, I was just thinking, you know, this isn't, that's not really what I want to talk about right now. Like that's not for this moment. And so I put it out there for Instagram, for you guys to kind of give me some ideas and some things, and a friend of mine, Chris had wrote on there that, um, that to talk about, you know, feeling anxious when waiting to hear from the Lord, you know, and, and the idea behind, you know, worrying about God's plan for your life. And does he have a plan and what is that plan? And so that in itself is something that everybody deals with from time to time. I mean, you can be, you know, 15 years old wondering what God's called you to do with your life. And you can also be 55 years old wondering what's God called you to do in life. You could be forties, fifties, sixties, and, you know, you could even be retired and you're starting to think, okay, I'm retired now. I don't work every day and do a nine to five and work 40 hours a week. You know, what, what is my purpose now? Is it just to hang out with my grandkids and you know, and there's things that go through your mind and sometimes you can get to that point in life and your age. I've see it all the time with people that are in their 60 seventies. It's almost this thought of, okay, God's used me. I'm done. It's now next, next generation. And that's, I said, it lasts a episode. It's, that's not the case. God can use you at any time at any point. Um, and just because of your age, if you're older or younger, doesn't mean that God can't use you, you know? And so anyway, I can preach into the whole message on that. But today I want to address the idea of being anxious when hearing from the Lord and when, and what does that mean? Hearing from the Lord? You know, so many people and including myself growing up, I used to think that in order to hear from the Lord, that meant that I literally had to hear God audibly, speak to me. I mean, so many stories in the Bible. When you read God, spoke to the person audibly, I mean, you look at Moses, God spoke to him through a burning Bush. I would like God to speak to me through a burning Bush. I mean, honestly I say that now, but if, if it happened, I would probably freak out, okay, like a Bush. Oh my what? And you know, like I would freak out honestly, but Gideon was spoken to the Angela Lord visited him, you know, the Angela Lord, uh, wrestled with Jacob. And, and there's so many different stories where God audibly spoke to people, you know? And so it's easy for you to think, oh, that's how God's going to speak to me. He's going to audibly say something to me, but that doesn't necessarily mean that God doesn't have to audibly speak to you in order to speak to you. Now I can say in first, Samuel chapter three, you find a young boy named Samuel does the book has called Samuel. It's about Samuel, right? Samuel was young at this time. And he was being ministered to, by Eli and kind of working for Eli at this time, the priest. And while he was laying down in bed one night, um, he heard his name called Samuel. And so he got up and he went into the other room to Eli. And he said, Eli, you know, are you calling me? And Eli said, no, go back to bed son. And so Samuel went back and laid down and he heard his name a second time. So he got up immediately ran to Eli and said, are you calling me? And he said, no, go lay back down. I'm trying to sleep, bro. So he went back and laid down and he had heard his name called a third time. When he went into the room and told Eli, Eli went, this is, this is not just you hearing things. I'm not calling you. This is God, God must be calling. You said, so go back and lay down in your bed. In this time. If you hear your name called, say, speak, Lord, your servants listening, and God will speak to you. And so Samuel did just that. He went and laid down and God spoke to Samuel again. And so he said, speak Lord. Your servant is listening. And God delivered a message. And the thing is, is he delivered a message. That really wasn't a great message. The message was to tell Eli that basically everything that was told to him through another man previously in the chapter before was going to happen. And those things that was spoken over him was that his sons were going to die at battle. And that he was going to die for the sins that his son committed. And for him not doing anything about disciplining them. So immediately Samuel was thrown into this position where, I mean, he's a young boy and he's got to tell the guy who's ministering to him. What? God just said, crazy stuff. But what I'm getting at is not just a story, but more so the fact that God spoke to Samuel audibly. So it was easy for us to think, oh, well, I mean, God spoke to Samuel audible. You spoke to Moses, you spoke to Gideon audibly. Well, he's got to speak to me audibly, but let me show you something else. That's really, really cool. You see, God doesn't have to speak to you through just his voice in order to tell you what God's going to do in your life, what plan he has for you, the dreams he has for you, what your career is, who it is that you're supposed to meet. All these things. We sit there and go cake Cod, tell us what to do next. I'm waiting for you to tell me what to do. No, man, that's not what happens. You see a lot of times, God sets up opportunities for us to do something, right? He'll position people in your life for you to do what it is that he's called you to do. So say it's the career you're wanting to do. Maybe you're wanting to be a nurse, you know, and you're a guy or growing you're, you're wanting to go to school to be a nurse, but you're, you're kind of having your doubts and you're, you're anxious about that. You walk into a coffee shop. I'm just, I'm just, this is just a scenario. Okay? But you walk into PJ's and you're getting your little coffee and you bump into, oh, a nurse. What, what in the world? And you bump into them. You're talking to them and they say, oh, I remember when I was 19 years old. And I was worried too, man, listen, let me tell you about this school. I went to, oh, you want me to go to X, Y, and Z. Oh, listen, how about you? Go do this. It's much easier. And they tell you this thing. And you're like, what is this? Is this just a coincidence? Is this, let me tell you something. That's God, that's how God works. You see, God will position people in your life in order to position you to do what it is that he's called you to do. You know, when it came to face it, when I was going to do ministry, I really wanted to do film. I mean, the people that know me know that I wanted to go to UNO. I was going to go to film school. I had actually applied, got accepted the whole deal. Um, but my dad had offered me an opportunity to speak at face it. One spring semester, they were in transition. They were looking for someone to fill that role. They needed to hire somebody in debt said, Hey, while we're looking for somebody, would you be willing to work with me? I'll help you speak, get you up there. I know you're nervous. You don't know how to speak. I'll teach you. And he did. Of course. Um, and so I did it. I went and I volunteered and I helped out, but my end goal was not to be in ministry. That was not what I wanted to do. I had no desire to do that. But at that time I was praying to God asking God, what it is that he's called me to do, you know, is UNO the move. Um, I was talking to him about relationships and, and who God has for me, all these different things. I was talking to God. And so all of a sudden, an opportunity falls right in front of me to go and speak. I didn't know how to speak. I had, I had done some little book talks and did some speeches in class for two minutes, but I'd never spoke a full message for 25 minutes, 30 minutes at a time in front of people like that just didn't happen. And so yet God put me in a position to do it. And then what God did is he positioned people in my life for me to minister into he positioned curly in my life. Not, not only curly, but my brother, Micah and my friend, Ryan hallmark and Courtney marks and Olivia Robertson, all these other students that all of a sudden were in front of me. And they were 14, 15, 16 years old. And they are young believers, young students that don't know anything about God, or maybe knew a little bit, but needed somebody to kind of step in. That was a little older to kind of guide them closer to God. And so all of a sudden I had this opportunity in front of me and I took it and I was just doing it voluntarily. But next thing you know, it was like, God, put it on my head part. This is what you're called to do. Yes, you're good at it. Film. And you liked doing it. And, and yes, she liked to act and do that. But this is where you're called. You're called to manage. You're called to speak into these young people. God positioned my dad in my life. And my mom, he positioned other people that saw the calling on me that I didn't even see. And they said, Hey, you got a gift son. You can, you can get up and speak. Not everybody can do that. And I'm out here trying to flex or anything. I'm not a great speaker. I'm just somebody that's learning. I mean, even now I'm been doing this for eight years and I still get butterflies when I get up to speak. But the thing is, is that opportunity found me and I took it and because I took it, God used it and pushed me into the calling that he had for me. I end with this because we're at the 10 minute mark. Now you see a couple chapters later. It's about chapter nine or 10. And first Samuel, Samuel is now grown up and he's a prophet. And this young man named Saul, who was tall, the Bible says and handsome. He was actually the first time you're mentioned to, and, and you see his name, he's looking for three donkeys. Yes. Three donkeys. The dude and his servant are looking for these three donkeys for his father. And they can't find them. And they go from town to town. And then all of a sudden saw goes, bro, it's been all day. I'm tired. Dad's probably not even worried about the donkeys anymore. He's probably worried about us. He's probably wondering where on earth is saw. And my servant let's go back. And the servant said, well, wait a minute, there's a prophet in town. Let's go see him. Maybe he can show us where to go. Maybe he can point us in the right direction. So I saw goes, okay, well let's, let's go find him, right? So they go up this like hill, this mountain and on their way to find the prophet, they run into Samuel. Okay. And Samuel, the day before was told that some man was going to meet him on the mountain. And that man was to be the next king or the first king of Israel. Talk about God here. Okay. Samuel has not met. Saul. Saul has not met. Samuel. Saul is not asking to be king. Saul is not even prayed about this thought, this thought about this. None of this he's looking for three donkeys. Yet. He goes up this hill bumps into Samuel. And when he bumps into Samuel, Samuel immediately knows. This is the man that God told me about the day before. So Samuel says, Hey, listen, I'm the profit that you're looking for. And I want you and your service to meet me for, for dinner. Right? And so while they're meeting him, the servant walks away and Samuel anoints Saul right there to be the king of Israel, bro. Saul did absolutely nothing. I was just reading the story and I thought, this is crazy Saul. Didn't wasn't born into royalty. He wasn't, you know, some high up guy. He was a dude, literally looking for three donkeys. Talk about humbling. Okay. He can't find him, runs into Samuel. And Samuel was like, this is the king. Any annoyed, some right there. You see, you don't have to do anything for God to direct your paths. The word of God says in Psalm 37, 23, the Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. God directs the godly. He directs your steps. If you serve Jesus, if you're serving God and you serve him with your whole heart, he's going to direct your steps. No matter what the word of God says in first, Peter, five, seven cash. Your anxiety onto him because he cares for you. God says, why are you worrying about that? Cast that on to me because I care. You shouldn't care. Don't fret. It's already set bro. Don't fret. My guy it's set my dude, right? He's saying don't, don't worry about that. There's no point in that. The Bible says in Matthew 6 34, therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. The Bible literally tells us, don't be worrying about tomorrow. Tomorrow is its own problem. Today's its own struggle. Worry about today. Proverbs chapter three, verse five through six trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding in all your ways, acknowledge him God. And he will make straight your paths. Lastly, Philippians four, six through seven, do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ. Jesus, yo, I mean, I can't lay it out any better for you. Instead of being anxious about what God's plan is for your life. If you want to know what God's plan is, I ask you to go to him. I ask you to take time out of your day and spend time with God. If you want to hear from God, you got to be with God. If there's one thing that I've learned in my life, if I'm wanting to hear from him, I got to go talk to God. So I take time out of my day and I'm not flexing, but I try to take out about an hour, a day to go spend time with God. I'll go pray. And I'm not saying you got to do it for an hour. You could do it for 30 minutes. You could do it for 15 minutes, but take time out of your day, go into your room. You don't have to go to a church or you go into your room, close the door, turn the lights off. That's what I do. Put some worship music on and talk to God. And you talk to him about your day. You talk to them about what you're going through. You talk to them about your anxieties. God, I'm worried about this. I'm worried about my next paycheck. I'm worried. I'm not going to be to pay these bills. I'm worried about my career. I'm worried that I'm in the wrong career. I'm worried I'm with the wrong person. I'm worried that I'm chasing after that wrong guy or that wrong girl, blah, blah, blah. You go to God and you give him your anxieties. Why? Because he cares. Don't worry about tomorrow. Worry about today. Focus on today. Focus on being close to God, getting your word. And when you read the word and you hear the word, faith comes, faith comes through hearing the word. So read the word and God will give you faith to trust in him and the plan that he has for your life. You don't have to wait for God to audibly, speak to you like he did Moses and Samuel and Gideon. You could literally be just like saw. You could just be at work, walk into your everyday, going to Chick-fil-A getting your, your, uh, you know, 10 count and whatever 12 count. And you're getting your little large sweet tea. And all of a sudden, God positioned somebody in your life to speak to you. That's going to direct your path. God's going to direct your path into the calling that he has for you. He did it for me. He did it for saw. I didn't ask to be in ministry. God directed me into it, whatever it is that God's asked you to do, he's going to direct your paths to do what he's called you to do. So don't fret it set. I'll see you next week on the reality check podcast. I'll see you.