Hebrews 4:15 - God’s Vessel For The Right Time
Step 1: Pray. Select.
Today, I sat thinking about how much each person on this Earth longs to be seen. I think about how Jesus made everyone he encountered feel seen and heard. His uncanny ability to discern the true nature of people and stand firm in his own beliefs without compromise is remarkable.
As I searched for what the Bible says about how we are seen by the LORD, and through the eyes of Jesus, I came across Hebrews 4:15. This was the perfect place to start my journey with the Holy Spirit today, so I moved to STEP 2.
Step 2: Write. Read. Circle
After reading the scripture three times, the following words stood out amongst the others:
For we do not have a High Priest
who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses,
but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Step 3: Re-Write
With a focus on the words I circled that stood out, here are the personalized sentence(s) that came alive in my heart.
Jennifer, we have a High Priest, tempted, yet without sin.
If you are doing this alongside me today, add your name in front of your unique sentence so the Lord can speak directly to you.
Step 4: Visualize
As I meditate on my sentence from the Holy Spirit today, I see Jesus standing in front of me, facing me head-on, and staring straight into my eyes. This is not an aggressive confrontation; he is looking at me with love and compassion, truly seeing me. He places his hand upon my shoulder as if to say, "It will all be okay.” He is comforting.
I am not sure what he is comforting me about, but somehow, he knows something about me I don’t yet. I wait and focus a bit more on what might have brought me to this point in my vision.
I think about an interesting conversation I had earlier in my day. It was on the spirit of comparison. I was fighting for my opinion to be heard at that very moment, and now, the Holy Spirit is asking me to examine what was going on emotionally in that conversation. Why didn’t I feel seen, or why was I worried my opinion wouldn’t be heard? What was it in that moment when I felt so worried that if I didn’t say what was on my mind, it might be missed, and I might not pass on valuable information, missing the moment?
The Holy Spirit draws my attention to the feeling of “missing the moment.” Hmm.
Where is this rush of worry coming from? And who is making me hurry? There was no rush, and the conversation was peaceful; however, a feeling of anxiety lingered somewhere deep inside. Why?
As I sit here thinking of my ‘why,’ I hear the Holy Spirit tell me, “Slow down.”
I have a question in my mind, so I proceed to Step 5.
Step 5: Ask. Seek
The requests/questions that came to mind are:
Holy Spirit, what do I need to slow down from? Where is this seed of anxiousness coming from?
Step 6: Hear. Write. Receive
Here is the answer I received:
“You are going through a few life changes. They are all for the good. But you must slow down and listen to others. Stop worrying that you are not valuable. You are valuable to me. If I have given you an opportunity, a relationship, a situation, or any other gift I bestow upon you, you must trust that I have given you the power from within to achieve above and beyond what you think you might be capable of. You are uneasy because you are unsure of your future. But I know your future and I know the plan to prosper you and not to harm you. To give you hope and a future. Jesus was slow to speak and quick to listen. What do you think Jesus was doing while he listened during his multiple encounters with people throughout his days? He was taking in the person and their issue, and while he waited, he was listening for me to speak through Him when the time was right. His words are my words, and there was always an opening to speak at the right time. You know the phrase - you cannot listen and speak at the same time. This is true. Stop. Wait for me to respond, then speak. If you operate on this level, which is counterintuitive to the world, people will appreciate my words and wisdom, which is beyond even your understanding. I know what is needed in all situations. So be my vessel, not a clanging symbol. Leave seeds of wisdom planted in every encounter wherever you go, and a forest of trees will sprout up with trunks so strong they will be equally rooted in the Earth, to never be knocked down by the elements ever again. Are you planting shallow or tending to the deeper things? Stay on your path. Tend to your lot. Do not worry about time. It is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Take one day at a time. Eat your daily bread, and do not worry about tomorrow, for today has its own troubles.”
Step 7: Pray. Confirm
Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus.
I thank you for bringing to the forefront some seeds of anxiousness that I was not aware of. Thank you for replacing them with your seeds of instruction, teaching me to wait and listen for you in all things.
Let me get out of the way of my insecurities and know that in all situations, I matter to you, and that is the most valuable thing in my life. Let me be your vessel always, and focus on my daily bread. Help me not let the distractions of the enemy overcome my thoughts, planting shallow things that will be blown away with the wind. Let me cast down every high thought that exalts itself against the power and the knowledge of you, the most high God.
In Jesus' mighty name, I pray and seal this prayer with the blood of Jesus - Amen.
Step 8: Share. Testify
If you used the 8-Step Prayer Practice today, we would love to hear how God works in your life! You can comment below or share your miracle or testimony HERE.
Conclusion:
Friends, I wasn’t sure where this prayer time would lead, but I am glad that the Holy Spirit revealed some weaknesses I was feeling.
Let’s focus on being a vessel for the LORD today so we can provide wisdom and love to everyone we encounter, making them feel seen and heard.
Let’s plant seeds with deep roots to withstand all the elements of life wherever we go at the right time the LORD ordains when the soil is prepared to receive.
God bless you. See you soon!
