- flowerdust: praying for a friend of mine who is "living in the integrity of his conscience." actually, i seem to have a few that are doing that now.
- RickCaffeinated: @flowerdust – "living in the integrity of his conscience" has got to be my theme of the month, all I’m hearing it.
I think when I first heard this phrase a couple of weeks ago on a God Journey podcast, the context had to do with someone questioning the need to stay in ministry. Should he move on? Should he stay and help others go through some growth, some of the same changes he was experiencing? And that’s when it came up, to follow the integrity of your conscience, to do what you think and feel is right for right now.
How many times have you and I had a decision to make? One way feels right, maybe the other sounds more right. One way is just enough and might be easier, might be harder than the other. There’s not necessarily a right answer, might not even be a better answer, but you’ve got to choose a direction and go after it. That’s the kind of thing that comes to mind with this train of thought, and I’ve been there before. Might be there now. And I’m being encouraged and challenged to go with the integrity of my conscience.
Which begs the question: can I trust my integrity, my conscience? Well, yeah, I think so. A key here is to examine my heart and go after God with all of it. It’s that desire to be godly, to live Christlike and grow in Him, to read and learn and worship and all of the above. In trusting in Him above my own understanding, He promises to make my path straight. In seeking first His kingdom and righteousness, in making that priority in all I do, He promises that all the other stuff of life will flow. Ultimately, I actually can’t trust myself. But I trust God, and as much as He is leading and guiding and encouraging and challenging, I can trust Him to lead and guide and encourage and challenge rightly, and to keep me in the middle of whatever He’s doing if I will just follow hard.
life: caffeinated 
Two thoughts:
1. Seeking God’s direction and not your own is paramount. But most people can’t do that – it’s too faith intensive. God doesn’t lead you down a “logical” road. It’s definately the “road less traveled.” A+B doesn’t equal C, and nothing looks the way it should. So if you’re going to follow God, you must ask yourself…am I willing to follow Him at all cost? Will I pick up the cross? When He leads me into the wilderness, will I moan and groan like the Isrealites and say “the food was better when we were slaves” ? When my friends and family tell me that my direction makes no sense, will I relent, or continue to follow God?
2. If God’s plan is to lead you into the dessert for 40 years are you willing to go? God said of Paul “I will show him how much he must suffer for my sake.” If it is God’s will for you to suffer (and it often is), will you submit? Are you willing to let Him beat you into the Christ like person He disires? Will you pick up the cross?
Still waiting for God to lead me into the dessert – I’m all over the tiramisu, if anyone’s asking.