How to Honor the Prophetic Voices in Your Life
One thing I've learned in this season is that Grief Is Hard. It’s especially difficult when you are grieving the loss of someone you love and respect deeply—someone who was an important part of your life. This year I lost 3 of the most powerful women I've known in my life. They were mothers, wives, preachers even more than that they were prophets. All before their time deeply committed to Jesus their families, and fulfilling God's will for their lives unapologetically. In this moment of transparency there have been moments where I have felt helpless, hopeless, depressed, confused, fear-filled because I could no longer hear and depend on the weight of their instructions, wisdom, rebukes or prayers. Upon reflection, I realize I should have taken their words and actions more seriously. I believe the current charismatic, pentecostal, prophetic, or apostolic church has cheapened and desensitized a generation to Holy Spirit and who He chooses to speak through. It is a heartbreaking reality for all of us, including me. I realize now how crucial it is to honor the prophetic voices in your life.
I have come to understand the deep sorrow that Elisha and Joshua held embracing a life without Elijah and Moses. And I feel now what was felt by Jesus' disciples in their darkest hour, witnessing his death on the cross. For years I've preached these passages in arrogance, pointing my self-righteous finger at them for their lack of faith and interpreting them as "spiritual weakness" while neglecting their feelings and right to be human. Losing a leader or spiritual staple in your life is debilitating regardless of how much they "prepared you." Their departure forces you to grow up, pick up their mantle and trust the God they served to help you as He helped them.
I'm far from being "over" their departures but I wanted to write this because I don't want my generation and generations to come to mishandle the prophetic voices God sends because they do fade away but their voices and work can remain alive in and through us.
Despite the pain of saying goodbye, I'm focused on learning from our generation’s mentors. If we can pause and remember their wisdom, then they will remain alive in spirit – forever living through us.
While dealing with grief, here are some ways to honor the prophetic voices in your life.
Acknowledge Their Impact on You
One way to honor the prophetic voice in your life is by acknowledging how they impacted you and your growth as a person. Take some time to think about all of the things that this person taught you, whether it was directly or indirectly, because that knowledge will stay with you forever. Write down these lessons so that you can look back on them for comfort and strength when times get tough.
Share Your Memories
Another way to honor the prophetic voice in your life is by sharing memories with others who knew them well or were close to them. Talking about stories from past experiences can be healing, especially if it’s done in a loving environment surrounded by family and friends who share fond memories too. It can also be helpful to talk about what made this person unique and special, which can remind us of all the wonderful qualities they possessed that we miss so dearly now that they are gone.
Honor Their Legacy
Honoring the prophetic voice in your life means honoring their legacy through acts of kindness and service to others. Whether it’s volunteering at a soup kitchen, donating money to charity, or simply doing something nice for someone else—these small acts of kindness will go a long way in keeping their legacy alive long after they have passed away. These gestures not only keep their memory alive but also provide comfort during times of grief and sorrow as we remember what a difference this person made during their lifetime on earth.
We all have people in our lives who leave an indelible mark upon us—people who have inspired us and shaped us into better versions of ourselves because of their impact on our lives and our world overall—prophetic voices whose legacies live on even after they are gone from this Earthly realm. It’s important for us to honor these people for all that they do for us both during their lifetime and after passing away so that we may continue living out their mission here on Earth until we meet again one day soon! Honoring prophetic voices helps us make sense out of our grief one day at a time until we can be reunited with them again someday soon!
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