I keep hearing, “Get out of your opinion.” I am realizing how often my own opinions are my core motivators. I want to know I am Spirit-led and Spirit-motivated.
In these warnings, I recognized that my opinions lead me to consider either championing a cause or taking a stand against something. There is an element of victory and defeat in the flavor of it. Both stances, whether for or against, are born of a spirit of division. “Get out of your opinion.”
When we are Spirit-led, we are motivated by love and reconciliation because this aligns with the Father’s motives. This embodies the mind of Christ. Whereas opinion is earthly and carnal. Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, “For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men” (1 Corinthians 3:3b)? To the Roman church, he wrote, “The carnal mind is enmity against God” (Romans 8:7a).
Let us not get lost in our thoughts and opinions. Let us, instead, understand this, “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).
As I was journaling these thoughts, God turned a familiar scripture around and dropped this thought into my spirit; I wrote, Let me not get lost in my own thoughts and opinions. For my ways are lower than Your ways and my thoughts than yours (Isaiah 55:8, 9). Let my thoughts and ways come from heaven and not the earth below. Let them stream from where I am seated with You and not from my earthly dwelling place (Ephesians 2:6).
We must discern between opinion and unction. “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). Thoughts dropped from heaven don’t always agree with our thoughts. They will challenge us to die to self and serve the needs of others. Sometimes, it will look like loving someone with whom you vehemently disagree. Sometimes, it will look like an encouraging word instead of a correction intended to make us more comfortable. Other times, it might look like a compassionate confrontation motivated by reconciliation. It will most often not be to our gain unless our gain is restoring another’s soul to the kingdom of God.
“Get out of your opinion.” How can you discern whether your thoughts are born of your own opinion or thoughts of heaven? Ask yourself what kind of fruit you think acting on the thoughts will bear. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law” (Gal 5:22-23a). Then, to Jesus will be all the glory, honor, and praise as it should be.