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I couldn’t sign the consent forms. Even after three ultrasounds confirmed a medical problem, and after I committed my will to God, my hand couldn’t write my signature. My mind drifted back to weeks before, when three benign growths were discovered during a routine exam. As I discussed all the options with my doctor, the subject of surgery came up. “You know your body,” he told me. 

I sure did. And I knew my body didn’t want to go near his scalpel. Surgery scared me. What would recovery be like? Would there be a lot of pain? But I had to admit that waiting would only make things worse and those growths would not magically disappear. Deciding they would be better out of my body than in, I returned to the doctor’s office days later and, in faith, signed my consent. 

I read God’s promises in the Bible, and peace flooded me—but not for long. When they heard my decision, well-meaning friends spun their stories of surgeries past, and their words unnerved me. “I wasn’t at all prepared for what came after,” one told me. “I was depressed for weeks.” Another: “My doctor said you should never have this kind of surgery.” 

This wasn’t an operation anymore, I concluded, but a slow march to the death camps. Through this experience, I discovered a problem most of us have—with my hearing. We often listen to the wrong voice when we’re trying to make decisions. In our quiet times we hear Peace, be still … I am with you always … Let not your heart be troubled—the voice of the Shepherd. He knows just what His sheep need: hope and assurance, not doom and despair. 

When Jesus lived on earth, demons fled, storms ceased, and the dead came back to life because they recognized His voice. Sheep have a tougher time. We get distracted by what others say and wander off to pastures of panic. 

If you find yourself in such a place, train yourself to listen closely. The Shepherd’s voice will redirect you to peaceful paths. 

(Photo courtesy of office.microsoft.com.)

(For more devotions, visit www.christiandevotions.us.)