The space between Stimulus and response

The space between Stimulus and response

S- Mark 8

31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and *said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

O- this is a cool scripture in which we see Peter rebuked Chrsit in an effort try to defend Jesus from the crowds. But Jesus rebuked Him which might seem to be backwards but Jesus just got through telling the disciples that he must suffer many things so that he might rise again and redeem all of humanity. When Peter came against this uncomfortable plan Jesus recognize this was not Gods spirit in Peter but a spirit of fear, The kind in which Satan likes to use most in distracting us from our ministry for God here on earth.

A-The application for me is to understand that sometimes I don’t like to experience God’s plan in trying seasons and I am as susceptible to fear planted by a whisper of doubt or a feeling of uncomfortableness.  In my current circumstances where I am dealing with my own past, and my family, I am finding myself wanting to avoid the pain when in fact this is gods plan. Rather than waiting to get rebuked by Jesus I need to recognize his plan and that his grace and power are sufficient to get me through this situation.  So how do I actually do this. I must learn to wait and follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit, vice responding instantly to the feelings of my flesh and the worries of my mind. Stephen Covey said there is a space between stimulus and response, this is a space that God has given us in our design so that we may choose our response. You see animals have instinct so strong they are not given a choice, it’s fight or flight, it’s migrate, or it’s hibernate, it’s things that are beyond their choice of control (as I am learning from our dog Sophie who struggles with bathroom control inside the house), but God has made us different. He has made us like him, In his image so that we might understand him better and choose his ways over the worlds ways.

P-dear Heavenly father, thank you for your patience with me and speaking truth into my life through Scripture. I pray Lord that you help me in this season to take the pause necessary between stimulus and my responses. Lord make your voice clear to me and your guidance through so that I might respond in a way that honors you. I pray all this in Jesus Christ name, amen.