Guidance - Christian Perspective

Posted on October 24, 2025October 24, 2025 by kate [loop] hannon

Story: I’ve Told You What to Do

“I don’t know what to do!” Jenna cried for the 10th time in between her sobs. She sat surrounded in the kitchen by spilled milk. Such a mess! What, oh what, was she to do? If only she knew!

“Wipe it up with the rag right there,” her mother’s voice called out yet again.

“But then I don’t know what to do!” Jenna cried.

“I’ve told you what to do. Wipe it up with the rag.”

“But then I don’t know what to do!” Jenna sobbed yet again.

“I’ve already told you what to do, Dear. You don’t need to know all the other details yet. I’ll guide you step by step. But start with what I’ve already told you.”

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8 (ESV)

“…For this is the will of God, your sanctification:” 1 Thessalonians 4:3 (ESV)

Posted on June 16, 2022 by kate [loop] hannon — Leave a comment

Driving by Default

Jane turned left without thinking much about it. She’d turned left at this road so often, it had become a subconscious habit. She turned up the radio and began singing as she traveled down the road.

Then she remembered: she wasn’t going to her normal destination today! She needed to have gone right, not left. Every minute she’d been driving she’d been getting further away from, not closer to, her destination.

Jane turned around as soon as she could and backtracked down the road.

A few minutes later, however, she was lost in thought again, forgetting her next turn. Once again, she had to turn around.

Finally, Jane realized she needed to turn on her GPS. She had to pay attention or she wouldn’t end up where she wanted.

As she drove, she got to thinking about how often in life she just cruised through a day, acting according to her old desires and passions. If she wanted to change spiritually, she’d need to be prepared to stop herself and run to Jesus, just like she’d stopped the car and turned around. And she’d need to proactively listen to God’s Word and fill her mind with truth, just like she realized she had to listen to the GPS.

“God, help me actively pursue you and fill my mind with truth so I’ll head the right direction,” she prayed as she finally pulled into her destination.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Philippians 4:8 (ESV)

“So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:22 (ESV)

Posted on April 30, 2022May 1, 2022 by kate [loop] hannon — Leave a comment

Short Story: Hidden Opportunities

What a mess, Julia thought as she walked into the kitchen and saw all the dishes. Then she remembered the special computerized glasses her dad had given her and told her to wear.

“They’ll help you see life differently,” he’d told her.

She pulled them out of her pocket and put them on. The words “opportunity to serve” flashed across the screen. Were these dishes really an opportunity for her to serve her family?

Julia blinked back the tears. Her friend’s words stung. Julia felt anger at the injustice rising in her heart. She pulled out her glasses. “Opportunity to love” flashed across the screen. Could her friend’s insensitivity and lies actually be an opportunity for her to grow in love?

For the third time that day, Julia rolled the bandage around her ankle. This sprained ankle had totally ruined all of her plans. She had a tennis practice and a game Saturday—or at least she did before this. The game meant so much to her, but now she wouldn’t be able to go.

Julia moped around the house for a day before she remembered her glasses. When she put them on and looked at her ankle, the words “opportunity to trust” flashed across the screen. Could even this ankle be an opportunity rather than an obstacle?

Little by little, Julia’s glasses changed how she saw the world and how she lived. She discovered that the very things she often complained about were really opportunities in disguise.

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV)

Posted on November 2, 2021 by kate [loop] hannon — Leave a comment

Reading Differently

Daniel’s heart hurt as he listened to her daughter Annabel “read” the picture book, as her “reading” reflected some sad interpretations. According to Annabel, the book was about a poor mouse who’d been abandoned by its parents and found itself trapped in a large home. Angry, the mouse ran away from the home and found its way through the dark streets, where cats, dogs, and other dangers lurked, seeking to devour the little creature. Eventually, the mouse sobbed, blaming his parents for his loss. But by pushing through all dangers, the mouse finally ended up back at a beautiful home to live happily ever after. Annabel’s story seemed to fit the pictures so well, but its interpretation of them completely changed the story’s meaning.

“Do you want to hear what the story actually says?” Daniel asked gently. Annabel nodded, snuggling in her father’s lap to hear.

“Once upon a time, there was a little mouse. His parents didn’t know very well how to parent, and the little mouse found himself separated from them. But he didn’t need to worry. A little boy found him and began caring for him. The mouse had all it needed, but the mouse didn’t listen to the boy’s warnings about leaving the house. He disobeyed, slipping out of the house into the dangerous streets where he was chased by cats and barked at by dogs. Dangers lurked everywhere, and the little mouse found itself tired and hungry. It cried, wishing it had listened to the kind little boy who had rescued it. But you know what? The little boy hadn’t forgotten the mouse. He’d been pursuing him the whole time and now scooped him up and brought him back to his beautiful home.”

“That’s a very different story, isn’t it, Annabel dear?” Daniel asked as he finished.

Annabel nodded. It was amazing how the same pictures could be interpreted so very differently.

As I’ve been going through an ABC biblical counseling course, I’ve been reminded that the facts of our lives, like a picture book, can be interpreted very differently. Worldly narratives may seem to “fit” with the pictures of our lives. After all, every lie has a piece of the truth. But if we want to understand our lives correctly, we need to look at our lives in light of what God tells us about Himself, sin, suffering, and the Savior Jesus Christ.

Are we victims, or victors through Jesus Christ? Is our primary problem what others have done to us, our situations, or our own sinful hearts? Is suffering something that gives us an excuse to sin, or something God promises to work for good? Do we have to earn God’s love, or is it a gift in Christ Jesus? The answer to these and other questions makes a difference in how we see ourselves, others, God, and our situations.

For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Revelation 3:17-18 (ESV)

Posted on August 1, 2020August 11, 2021 by kate [loop] hannon — Leave a comment

Short Story: Ignoring the Treasure

If you knew there was a priceless treasure on your property, what would you do? Excitedly hunt and hunt until you found it, right? You’d likely give up whatever you had to in order to get the tools and time you needed to find that treasure. Jonah’s story, then, might sound strange, but it’s all-too-often true.

You see, Jonah knew there was a treasure on his father’s property. His father had even given him a treasure map so he could find it.

Jonah was excited at first, but he easily gave up. He went through a phase where he got busy with playing games and having a good time, forgetting about the treasure.

There came a day, though, when Jonah realized he really needed money. And he had good reason! Some friends were hurting and he wanted to help them. He began occasionally asking his father for more money…all the while failing to dig for the treasure his father had already told him would be his if he just searched for it.

Funnily enough, he’d go to other fields and dig there for treasure, hoping to find something. But the only thing he found was counterfeit currency. He kept tiring himself out for nothing, all the while ignoring the treasure map his father had given him.

Jonah kept missing out…all because he didn’t listen to his father, following the treasure map and seeking the treasure his father had given him.

And you know what? We do the same whenever we ignore God’s Word, failing to follow the “treasure map” He’s given us in the Bible and neglecting to seek knowing Him/His wisdom like we would a hidden treasure.

“My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;” Proverbs 2:1-6 (ESV)

Posted on September 12, 2019September 12, 2019 by kate [loop] hannon — 1 Comment

Don’t Follow Your Heart

Watching a movie the other night reminded me of how we are bombarded by media with the message to “follow your heart.” For example, a popular Disney movie has the song that says “if only I knew what my heart was telling me,”[1] and portrays it as the basis on which decisions should be based.

On a more subtle level, here are some examples of ways this message sometimes comes across or gets adopted into our thinking:

You can rely solely on what you experience or feel to determine the validity of your spiritual condition. For example, you can rely on a warm feeling or experience of happiness for assurance of salvation instead of anchoring your assurance on what God says in His Word about salvation through repentance and belief in His Son. Or you can assume if you don’t “feel” close to God, you’re not.
You should make decisions based on how you feel–marry someone if you feel in love; divorce them if you don’t.

The problem with following our heart or feelings is that the Bible tells us our heart is deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9)! It’s not an accurate gauge to follow.

We need to follow the Truth, which our Maker has shown us in His Word, instead, knowing that He is the One before whom we will have to give an account (Hebrews 4:13) and that His Word is right and true (Psalm 33:4).

The story below illustrates how silly it would be if we applied this same follow-your-heart thinking in ordinary life decisions. I hope you’ll smile, and that the story will help be a reminder to you to live life by God’s Word, not feelings.

Kate

P.S. For more on this topic, here’s an excellent podcast by Revive Our Hearts addressing this topic of living by the Truth, not our emotions.

Evelyn decided one morning to live life by following her heart. She woke up with her alarm, and turned it off. Her heart said she needed more sleep. Never mind the fact that she would miss work—she didn’t really feel like working anyway.

When she finally got up, she went to make herself a nutritious smoothie like normal, but then decided her heart longed for sugary cereal instead. So that’s what she had to eat.

After breakfast, she normally exercised, but not today! Her heart certainly said no to that! So she sat and watched TV all morning instead.

A few weeks later, her friend Amelia found her still sitting on the couch. She hardly recognized her dear friend. Evelyn had gained weight to the point that she no longer fit inside her clothes. She was crying when Amelia walked into the room, as she just found out she’d been fired from her job, as she had missed too many days at work.

Evelyn sobbed on her friend’s shoulders. “What will I do? How will I pay my bills?”

Amelia tried to comfort her friend. “What happened?” she asked. “Why didn’t you go to work?”

“I was just trying to follow my heart,” Evelyn sobbed.

Amelia shook her head. “Our hearts don’t make good guides. You have to live life by the truth, Evelyn.”

“I see that now,” Amelia sobbed. “Oh, what do I do?”

Amelia was firm, but kind. “You do what you should have done from the beginning: stop following your heart and live by the truth. Come on, let’s start by getting you cleaned up. It’s going to be a hard road of change, but there’s no time like the present to start.”

With that, Evelyn got up off the couch.

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9 (kjv)

Posted on January 15, 2018 by kate [loop] hannon — Leave a comment

Short Story: Truth Glasses

Darkness—oppressive darkness. It was all Emma could see. No matter which way she looked, there it was staring back at her. Each path she could take led to the same thing: more darkness. What had become of light? Did it even exist anymore?

Perhaps it did, somewhere. Emma knew at the end of her journey there’d be light. But there was no more light on the journey, of that she felt sure.

Emma’s last several miles had been filled with obstacles. Now all she could see were dark shadows stretching out before her.

“It’s just so discouraging,” Emma moaned to her traveling companion, Sarah. “I’m not sure why my father set me on this journey in the first place.”

“Okay, I know it seems discouraging,” Sarah replied. “But you’re not seeing the truth, Emma. Yes, there’s darkness, but there’s light too. There’s night, but there’s also day. You’ve got to put those glasses on.”

“Glasses?” Emma asked listlessly.

“Yes, you know, the ones your father gave you.”

Right—the glasses. Her father had given her glasses to help her see the world as it really was. Emma was pretty sure the glasses wouldn’t change anything—that she was already seeing everything accurately—but she pulled them out and dutifully held them up to her eyes anyway.

Wait—there was light amid what before had seemed only darkness! What a difference it made to look at the situation through the lenses of truth.

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” John 17:7 (ESV)

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'” John 8:31-32 (ESV)

Posted on October 15, 2016October 15, 2016 by kate [loop] hannon — Leave a comment

Short Story: Enjoy the Journey

Although Emma had told her father he could drive her wherever he chose, she seemed to be having a hard time relaxing and letting him do so. Every so often, she had actually grabbed the steering wheel, attempting to turn the car where she thought it should go.

Then she’d remember and let go again, relaxing for a few minutes and letting her father drive. That is, until she forgot again…

“You know,” her father reminded her after she began panicking about the direction they were going. “I’ve got this trip all planned out. I know where I’m going.”

Emma smiled up at her father, a wave of relief splashing over her. Her father knew just where he was taking her, and he knew and loved her perfectly. Why did she keep thinking she knew better?

“Now,” her father continued, “how about relaxing and enjoying the journey? Look out that window—isn’t that a beautiful sight?”

Emma gasped as she looked out the window. The sun was rising, spreading warmth and light in all directions. What a breathtaking scene she’d been missing out on!

“Oh, Father!” she cried. “I don’t want to miss out on one more minute of the journey.”

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10 (KJV)

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 (KJV)

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Looking for a way to cultivate a heart of gratitude in your children?

Check out the Thanksgiving Devotional, the God We Praise. For the 21 days leading up to and including Thanksgiving, look at an attribute of God each day together. The devotional includes coloring pages for children (along with instructions on how to put them together into their own little books), as well as fun activity ideas that reinforce that day’s readings.

[thrive_link color=’green’ link=’https://www.christianperspective.net/product/the-god-we-praise-e-book’ target=’_self’ size=’medium’ align=”]Learn More[/thrive_link]

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Category: Guidance