So I'm reading this book called The Modern Seer. Great book, by the way. In the second or third chapter (I don't remember which) the author (Jim Driscoll) explains thinking metaphorically and the concept of understanding the things God is showing you. Often, we discount the things He shows us because we don't initially understand it. Driscoll suggests an exercise to kind of bulk up your understanding of How God speaks:
First ask God to show you something you don't understand. Then when He does, ask Him to explain it to you.
Well of course I did it!
Before we go into that, let me preface it with this: I've been realizing lately that while the Lord often drops random visions in my head, He also works with my own imagination a lot. I am a very visual thinker and a lot of times if I am thinking of someone, the Lord will use the mental image I have already created and then lead it into something else. For example, I once was thinking of a friend, Rebekah. In my head, she was just standing there. Then all of a sudden she began to do something else randomly and the Lord began to speak with me about her. The vision and words that He gave me turned out to be right on for what she was experiencing at the time.
Having said that, I will tell you that in the exercise, I purposely pictured my husband. I asked the Lord to show me something I didn't understand about Jordan. I'm not gonna lie, I was confused. I saw Jordan with a scared look on his face and his hands around his neck like he was choking. On his chest were some really big, colorful, pretty butterfly wings. Weird, yes?
I inquired about it and heard the Lord say, "He's afraid to fly." I told Jordan, who then asked me to ask the Lord why he was afraid to fly. I asked and then heard, "I'd be afraid too if my wings were in the wrong place!"
Oooookay? What? I then closed my eyes and asked Him where the wings were supposed to be. I saw Jordan tear the wings off of his chest, throw them in the trash, and then lift off the ground and fly. Still confused.
Finally I asked the Lord straight up, "God, what are the wings?"
He said back, "Religion." Jordan and I talked about it and wanted to test it just to make sure I heard right and that it really was God saying it. We exchanged comments about how we couldn't wait to see what kind of metaphor He used this time. I asked my final question, "God, does religion belong in the garbage?" To which he replied...
"Duh."
I laughed like crazy.
After everything was said and done, the wacky picture He gave me made a lot of sense, especially considering some of the struggles Jordan has had with religious habits and spirits of religiousness. In the end, religion is something that we put on because it looks good outwardly and because we think it will help us draw closer to God (butterfly wings are pretty and seemingly would help you to fly). However, the truth is that all it does is cause fear (of what others think, of condemnation, etc.) and keeps you from true fellowship with the Lord. Once you put religion where it belongs (in the trash!) you can really go higher in your relationship with God. Who'd have thought that some backwards butterfly wings would mean all of that?
Only God is crazy enough to come up with this stuff.
Try this exercise for yourselves! We all have spiritual eyes, even if we all don't see in the same way. You might be surprised what He shows you. :)
Peace, Love, and Christ
Kharis
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