Hope Mangiafico (00:00)
What if some of the things we've accepted as normal were never things Jesus actually called us to do? Stay comfortable, tolerate sin, just think positive thoughts. Hurry up, you're falling behind. Jesus didn't say any of those things.
This week we're continuing things Jesus didn't say and looking at what he actually asked of us. Because following Jesus isn't always comfortable, but it leads us somewhere comfort never could. Hi, I'm Hope.
Nikki Humphrey (00:32)
Hi, I'm Nikki. Welcome to a quick fellowship where friends become family through Christ. We're two Jesus loving friends on a mission to share personal stories, resources, and real talk about our triumphs, breakthroughs, struggles, and setbacks. Why? Because we believe you are called to live victoriously, and we're here to equip you with Holy Spirit-led tools and strategies to strengthen your faith, transform your mindset, and walk.
boldly in God's promises, because here's the truth, you have been given great and precious promises by God. So grab your coffee, lean in, and let's grow together. It's time to step into everything God has for you.
Hope Mangiafico (01:17)
Let's get uncomfortable to open up those gifts. Man.
Last week we started a conversation about things Jesus didn't say, and there was so much more we wanted to unpack. Jesus never said stay comfortable. In Luke 9 23, he tells us to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow him. He never said tolerate sin. Jesus showed incredible grace and compassion to sinners, but his grace wasn't permission to stay the same. He called people into a new way of living.
He didn't call us to wishful thinking, believing whatever feels good while ignoring the truth. Jesus calls us to build our lives on truth and bear good fruit. And he certainly did not model a life controlled by urgency and rushing. Jesus had an important mission, yet he made time to pray, rest, stop for people, and listen to his father. So today we're asking: have we mistaken the messages of our culture?
For the messages of our Savior Jesus Christ. Man, let's talk about it, Nikki.
Nikki Humphrey (02:24)
Woohoo. The conviction
Hope Mangiafico (02:26)
This is good stuff.
Nikki Humphrey (02:27)
came up last episode and it's already coming up for me. I just yeah. When you said Jesus told he never told us to stay comfortable. And
Hope Mangiafico (02:40)
Yes.
Nikki Humphrey (02:41)
how often do we think like when we're in alignment with Jesus, things should be easy, things should be comfortable, things should just flow. You should be in your flow stage.
Paddling along with Jesus. That's not it at all. And when we
Hope Mangiafico (02:59)
No, no.
Nikki Humphrey (02:59)
said Luke 9, 23, whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily, people, daily and follow
Hope Mangiafico (03:10)
That's right.
Nikki Humphrey (03:11)
me.
Hope Mangiafico (03:13)
I know. Isn't that crazy? And and here's the thing, Nikki, what you just shared about the flow state. Man, did I expect that to always be the thing? Not even kidding. But as I have started to grow that daily aspect, I started also realizing comfortable doesn't always mean a flow state either. Comfortable can be getting used to the discomfort and the
And the question really lies in this I staying where I at I'm at because I'm used to it, even though it's not actually a comfortable situation? And that daily picking up your cross and denying yourself has a lot to do with how.
How comfort is defined for you. And so I I at one time I thought it was that flow, ease. And now I'm actually in a stage where I realize sometimes I true choose things that others would say looks uncomfortable because I define them as on mission for the Lord, doing this, and the Lord's like, I'm not calling you to that.
This just happened to me.
Nikki Humphrey (04:18)
This
is relatable. Keep going. This is this is hitting me right there.
Hope Mangiafico (04:23)
Yes, it's crazy. And it was like I was I was asking the Lord some questions about some things because I'm in something that on the outside looks uncomfortable. It looks like I'm picking up my cross, doing the thing, denying myself, serving people. And the Lord's like, Hey Hope, you're actually doing that because you're afraid that I'm gonna be disappointed in you. So I'm pursuing what I define as comfortable as thinking I'm obeying God when in truth
That's my own.
Fault, if you will, or is that the right word? My own block.
And that looks nothing like what you said in the flow state, but I I've already I've already walked through that.
Mm.
Nikki Humphrey (05:07)
It's so true. It's convicting me right now because it's like, yeah, how mu how many times do we think that we're doing we're taking up our cross daily? And God's like, put it down. That's not the right cross. What are you doing?
Hope Mangiafico (05:25)
That'll preach It's not the right cross that makes me think of idols.
Nikki Humphrey (05:29)
Right. Right.
It's like our
Hope Mangiafico (05:31)
Wow.
Nikki Humphrey (05:32)
worldly cross, right? We're picking up the worldly cross. So we're not not disappointing people, like you said, and doing the hard thing and I'm being such a good Christian 'cause I'm doing that and that's the worldly cross. But we're not picking up the cross we're called to pick up.
Hope Mangiafico (05:50)
Yes. You know, I hadn't thought about that. In the last episode, we actually quoted that scripture, which was hilarious. I told Nikki. I was like, I didn't expect us to talk about that. in the last one. And last time I mentioned that in some translations, I think maybe it was in in the Greek, cross could be a stake. And I hadn't thought until you mentioned that, Nikki, I probably have tons of stakes that are keeping me stuck.
So maybe based on how I'm feeling, I'll pick up this one over here.
Because that's comfortable.
It's funny, Nikki, 'cause we just pivoted pivot that episode was a really good one too. we just pivoted from something that usually is taught of like, Come on, get outside your comfort zone but now we're pivoting to say, you actually gotta reconsider what you're calling comfortable.
Nikki Humphrey (06:42)
Yeah. Because as you said, hope you have the stakes you I probably do all around the ground, our crosses. We created a jail for ourselves. 'Cause I our
Hope Mangiafico (06:51)
Ew.
Nikki Humphrey (06:53)
pictured us in the middle and the stakes are all around us.
Hope Mangiafico (06:58)
my gosh. And Jesus came to give his life to the fool, as in pick up. my gosh, this made me think about having seven blocking you. Pick up one each day. And that's how you get or 365 of them. Pick up one each day. And that's how you get free.
Nikki Humphrey (07:18)
Mm-hmm.
Hope Mangiafico (07:18)
But instead we hyperfixate too sometimes on just one. the Lord called me to step out. This is scary. I'm gonna do it and then it's like I did it. I'm gonna do it again. I'm gonna do it again. And now that's become comfortable.
wow, that's good stuff.
Nikki Humphrey (07:36)
Yeah.
He didn't call us.
To just he called us to follow, period.
Hope Mangiafico (07:41)
Right. Amen.
Nikki Humphrey (07:43)
I was gonna add something else, but no, we don't need the he just called us to follow him.
Hope Mangiafico (07:47)
That's simple.
Nikki Humphrey (07:48)
That simple.
Hope Mangiafico (07:49)
That simplicity you just shared actually makes me think about something I was gonna mention before that we have talked about on episodes, it might have even been the last one, of how you can use scripture to defend anything. And that's why we want to present the scripture, but also bring you back to the simplicity. Because you can probably argue a lot of different points on every scripture that we give.
But the simplicity is key. And you said in the last episode, I believe, Nikki, that that's what he said. That was one of the first things that points you mentioned in the last episode is he was just saying, Follow me, follow me, follow me.
Nikki Humphrey (08:26)
I'm like, I can't lord because I got too many crosses on the ground. Can't get out.
Hope Mangiafico (08:32)
That's cra that's such a good image, Nikki. I am so glad you mentioned that about a jail cell.
Nikki Humphrey (08:37)
'Cause then that's us focused, term bringing way back from past episodes, gazing.
Hope Mangiafico (08:45)
Right about that.
Nikki Humphrey (08:47)
Not looking up to the Lord, asking Jesus questions. It's just like, look at me over here, toiling, doing the hard thing, Jesus.
Hope Mangiafico (09:00)
Exactly doing the hard thing. my gosh. And that goes back to what I said about what he showed me recently about me being afraid to disappoint God. What does that do? That's about hope.
Good intentions, girl, they'll ruin ya.
Nikki Humphrey (09:17)
Sure will.
Hope Mangiafico (09:19)
I'ma end on that one for me on that one because boy, I say that to other people, but I haven't really talked about it for myself, and I just did, so I got some work to do. That's funny. Man, and actually, speaking of that, it's a kind of a good segue into talking about something that you can see expanding in the church.
the body, if you will, and that is tolerating sin. And calling
Nikki Humphrey (09:53)
We need to talk about that.
Hope Mangiafico (09:54)
it love.
Nikki Humphrey (09:57)
Preach it.
Hope Mangiafico (09:58)
Man, we have gotten so far from our first love that we don't even know how to define it anymore.
And I'll I'll tell you something I thought was so cool. Jesus, every time he healed someone, I should say every time, I know for sure in John five fourteen and John eight eleven, that after the healing happened, which was with love and compassion, he said sin no more.
Nikki Humphrey (10:29)
Hm?
Hope Mangiafico (10:29)
It's this beautiful balance.
think sometimes we think that the opposite if you're not tolerating you're hating.
Nikki Humphrey (10:37)
Right. And that's not the truth at all.
Because even in John eight, ten through eleven, Jesus asks the woman caught caught in adultery, Woman,
Hope Mangiafico (10:45)
Mm-hmm.
Nikki Humphrey (10:47)
where are they? Has no one condemned you? She answers that no one has, and Jesus responds, Then neither neither do I contem condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin.
Hope Mangiafico (11:00)
Exactly. Leave it.
Nikki Humphrey (11:03)
Right. The interaction shows something so beautiful about Jesus. It's just like grace and
Hope Mangiafico (11:10)
Mm.
Nikki Humphrey (11:10)
truth. Jesus didn't humiliate her. He didn't condemn her. But he also didn't pretend that her sin didn't matter.
Hope Mangiafico (11:19)
Amen, exactly.
Nikki Humphrey (11:22)
He offered grace and an invitation to change.
Sometimes our culture tells us that loving some someone means affirming everything that they do. That's not how Jesus did it.
I wanna tell my friends, I want people to know from me that I love you too much to pretend something harmful
Hope Mangiafico (11:39)
Ex yes.
Nikki Humphrey (11:40)
is is good for you. Period.
I'm not that friend.
Hope Mangiafico (11:44)
And the reason you're not that friend, because you love the Lord so much, just and out that's the overflow of loving other people. And you have said no to a passive spirit. Passivity does more damage to other people than a lot of other things. And we cannot take up a passive spirit when we we choose to follow Jesus, going back to the first point we made.
And then also to pick up our stakes, we have to be active.
With love.
Nikki Humphrey (12:19)
And it's all in the approach people. It's all in how you approach somebody.
Hope Mangiafico (12:23)
Yes.
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (12:26)
I don't want to condemn
anybody. I don't want anybody to feel worse than they're already might be feeling or like, but it's just like again, I love you too much to not give you a loving correction right now. And just
Hope Mangiafico (12:42)
Yes.
Nikki Humphrey (12:43)
like God gives us choices, after I say something, I'm gonna have no attachment to the outcome of what that person chooses.
Hope Mangiafico (12:50)
That's big.
Nikki Humphrey (12:51)
I just wanna let them know I'm here. This is what I'm seeing. If you want
Hope Mangiafico (12:56)
Mm-hmm.
Nikki Humphrey (12:57)
help, if you need accountability.
Let's go.
But that's on you. The choice is always yours. Just like God's the same way with us. The choice is yours.
Hope Mangiafico (13:05)
What you're sharing is so good because it goes back again to following him and really his timing, because as we say he does not call us to tolerate sin, it doesn't mean to call out everything you see immediately. You
Nikki Humphrey (13:19)
Mm-hmm. Right. No.
Hope Mangiafico (13:21)
and the reason I'm even bringing that up, Nikki, is because you said that you will not have attachment to the outcome and what they do. There requires a submissiveness to the father.
and permission and a maturity in your own heart to be able to actually tell truth in love without attachment. And so as we share this, I'm just thinking about even in my own life, there are things that I see, but I know that if I share it after that point, I don't know if I'm actually mature enough yet to handle it well. But it doesn't mean I'm passive.
While I'm while I'm trying to figure this stuff out on the back end, I'm praying. I'm talking constant we talk about this all the time, talking constantly to the Lord. Because I just like Nikki said, I want to see someone's life be impacted and changed for the better.
But I know when I'm not about to be a good steward.
You know, it could be even like tolerating sin, watching it someone else's life, and maybe it's someone that's already hurt you, right? So you gotta work on some forgiveness in your heart. Things that the world, picking up the worldly cross, the world is saying is okay, to harbor a little bitterness or a little envy, a little unforgiveness. Like, you gotta be careful what you're pouring out yourself.
Nikki Humphrey (14:46)
tell the I've been talking to the girls in my class all week about kind of this subject, but it's just like, you know how some I'm gonna say girls, women, people out there in general, they tell somebody that they forgive them, but they're not ready to forgive.
And it's kind of like this too, like you were saying, like sometimes you're not ready to have the conversation. And I told the girls, I'm just like, if you're not ready to fully forgive somebody, you need more time, you need more information, you need to figure some things out.
It's not the time to respond because there's nothing worse. And I think we talked about this last week. God sees your heart. You may say somebody's forgiven, and then you're still carrying around the same hurt, resentment, darkness in your heart for that person. It's not fair to you. It's because you said they were forgiven, but they're not. It's not fair to the person because they think things are okay.
Hope Mangiafico (15:31)
Amen. Amen.
Nikki Humphrey (15:59)
And it's the same thing like calling people out on their sin in a loving way, giving a loving correction. If you're not ready to do that and to follow it up and not to be attached to the outcome, it's probably not the best time. You're gonna need more time, more information, more time with the father.
to do that. And that's okay.
Hope Mangiafico (16:17)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (16:18)
We always think we gotta rush it. We always gotta rush to do these things.
We don't. We don't need to do that.
Hope Mangiafico (16:24)
Did you just open the door to the next point?
Nikki Humphrey (16:26)
I know. I was just like, I think we're going somewhere here. Cause I was just like, it leads right into the next one. God's so good.
Hope Mangiafico (16:37)
I love
I love when that happens, man. it's so good. And this is one for me that I'm very passionate about because I'm journeying it out daily. Truly. Every
Nikki Humphrey (16:48)
Mm-hmm.
Hope Mangiafico (16:48)
day I pick this one up for the good or for the worse. I don't know. And that is talking about the urgency and rushing. the angst, you know?
Mulling things over in your brain and not letting it leave you. It's like the physical rushing where we're busybodies and then also the mental urgency and rushing. They are two separate things and both are things that do not align with Jesus' calling in our lives.
Nikki Humphrey (17:27)
And I love this verse in Mark one thirty five. I I I imagine this all the time. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place where he prayed.
Jesus had arguably the most important mission anybody has ever had. And yet, Jesus wasn't frantic. He stopped, he prayed, he rested, he talked to his father, he ate with people, he noticed other people who walked past. He allowed for interruptions. I had to think about that one. I'm like, allowed for interruption. Someone needed healing. Someone called his name. Someone touched his garment.
Someone needed him to stop. Jesus lived with purpose and urgency of mission without living in a constant state of hurry.
Hope Mangiafico (18:16)
Yes.
Repeat that again about the mission part.
Nikki Humphrey (18:22)
Yeah.
Jesus lived with purpose and urgency of mission without living in a constant state of hurry.
Hope Mangiafico (18:30)
That is so good and so true. And I'm fully honest, I'm still learning what it means to be urgent s with like mission.
Because we can easily distort that with
Again being busy. And I think kind of going off what you just shared, a scripture that I had that complements that so good of like, okay, what does that look like? That was kind of the question I wanted to ask you. But as I was about to ask you, I had John eleven five through six come up where Jesus is going to the healing of Lazarus, but it took him two days.
That one's still like is hard to wrap my brain around.
Nikki Humphrey (19:10)
Right. His best friend. The person he loved. Just easing down the road to get there, right? Like
Hope Mangiafico (19:18)
But he was urgent on the mission because he knew where he was headed. And maybe that's how you define urgency of mission and purpose is you know the goal.
Nikki Humphrey (19:32)
Yes.
Hope Mangiafico (19:33)
You're urgent to not forget the end goal, which is being about my father's business.
Nikki Humphrey (19:41)
Right. Cause I had down here, being busy isn't always evidence that we're being fruitful.
Hope Mangiafico (19:48)
Amen. Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (19:50)
Or we could replace it on mission about my father's business. You could keep replace subbing in words.
It's not. It's stopping. It's long enough to hear God and be
Hope Mangiafico (20:02)
React.
Nikki Humphrey (20:03)
purposeful on your mission. And you know, when you're on mission with God, you have that like
sense of urgency, but it's how do you explain how do you explain
Hope Mangiafico (20:12)
It's really hard to define.
Nikki Humphrey (20:15)
it? It's just like, like I'm on God's mission, like I'm walking in my purpose. I'm in holy alignment with God the Father. It's not a frantic like I need to do all this checklist of all these things and put all these crosses in the ground and look at me. I'm toiling, I'm doing all the things. It's just like, no, I I'm urgent because I know
In my heart of hearts, this is what I'm supposed to do.
And I'm gonna walk that out how God wants me to.
That's the best way I can explain it for myself.
Hope Mangiafico (20:49)
It's so difficult to explain. I think you did a good job. I'm trying to think if there's anything that we can add to that or a way it I mean, even in my own brain, because I think as you're trying your best to explain it, it's one of those things I think you have to almost just journey life and you lock your eyes on him, and it'll just make sense in your spirit. Because we're using a word that shouldn't be defined the way you just defined it.
Nikki Humphrey (21:16)
So have another analogy that popped in as you were talking hope. Okay. So to be urgent on your mission, it's like a woman going in labor. It's she has this urgency, like this desire to meet her child, and she knows she's in labor.
But you can't rush it, no matter what you do. You can't muscle your way through it. You can't, I mean, you can get drugs and things to like help you along, but there's
There's no way to make it go faster than it should be.
Hope Mangiafico (21:50)
Phenomenal analogy. That's wonderful.
That just connected some dots for me. I'm sure listeners really took that because it's I I've only been able to explain or I can explain it, but I've only known what it feels like to ha the urgent in mission. And anyone that's given birth or desire to give birth, like you can understand that. that's so good. Good job.
Nikki Humphrey (22:14)
Thank you, Jesus.
Hope Mangiafico (22:16)
Well, and it's fascinating too, because in scripture there's all kinds of comparisons to birthing.
Nikki Humphrey (22:23)
Yes.
Hope Mangiafico (22:23)
So it's a perfect analogy. That was absolutely the Holy Spirit. And one of my other favorite verses is in John 7 6, Jesus says, My time has not yet come when he's talking to his brothers. And I just like it it just complements everything we just said. Jesus knew where he was headed.
And he he's not all knowing 'cause he's not God. Like he was fully human in that time. He had to grow in obedience. But he's sitting there in conversation with full confidence that the time is coming, but it's not yet.
And that's kind of like going back a step to the tolerating sin conversation. You know you're not supposed to tolerate, and you're not supposed to tolerate because you're supposed to love with the heart of the father. So you know that's the goal. The urgency is you want to see that person fall madly in love with your savior. But the time may not be yet.
boils down to just don't lose don't lose sight of what really matters going back to our first point where Nikki said you just gotta follow him. So powerful.
This other one, Nikki.
I've become very passionate about this next one I'm gonna mention because of what I've seen around me. I haven't been very prone to this, but I've become very hyper-aware that if it comes out of me, I'm very sensitive to it. And that is to have wishful thinking, or better said, living on a hope and a prayer.
Nikki Humphrey (24:03)
yeah.
This is, I hear this a lot.
Hope Mangiafico (24:10)
Why?
Nikki Humphrey (24:11)
And
It's almost like a sin against God. It is a sin against God, wishful thinking.
Hope Mangiafico (24:17)
I would agree with that. You wanna elaborate?
Nikki Humphrey (24:20)
Because I if you you know wishful thinking says like I really want this to be true so I'm gonna believe it's gonna happen.
Hope Mangiafico (24:29)
Mm.
Nikki Humphrey (24:32)
And if I only direct all my attention to that thing, I can make it happen.
Hope Mangiafico (24:41)
Hmm. Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (24:44)
And I see especially the girls at school do this all the time. It's just like I can think things into reality.
Hope Mangiafico (24:55)
R totally.
Nikki Humphrey (24:57)
And living in a hole.
I'm just gonna say it, how it popped in, like an alternate universe of the reality that's in front of them. And so they escape into their own bubble, into their own
Hope Mangiafico (25:09)
Mm.
Nikki Humphrey (25:10)
alternate reality, where they play out all these scenarios of how things are going to happen in life and how they're supposed how they think it's supposed to happen in life, but the real world doesn't work that way.
Hope Mangiafico (25:24)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (25:26)
And God isn't anywhere in there. But then they feel wronged when things that they created don't work out how they're supposed to work out.
In their minds.
Hope Mangiafico (25:40)
Mm, yeah.
Good old manifestation stuff, right?
Nikki Humphrey (25:44)
Wow.
Hope Mangiafico (25:47)
Well, and I think for me, what I notice and maybe part of what you just shared, they're what I'm about to say may compliment it and be more evidence of what you're sharing. I notice when people tend to have wishful thinking, positive, vague positive thinking, if you will, or just hoping that things will work out or change.
They aren't having the actions to match it because it's not rooted in faith in the Father and it's through him that the action gets produced and the obedience to him.
Nikki Humphrey (26:22)
Right, 'cause going back to point one, they think it's supposed to be easy.
Hope Mangiafico (26:28)
Yeah.
That's that's the word that came to my mind on this. you can only create change through physical action. Now, yes, there's such thing as energy and what you focus on we find. We've talked about that. But wishful thinking is not focusing on the good things, the whatever's true, whatever is noble, like the things that are the good fruit that you're supposed to produce in your life.
Nikki Humphrey (26:52)
Mm.
Hope Mangiafico (26:52)
you have a role to play and I think that's the part that really fires me up
Nikki Humphrey (26:58)
Mm.
Hope Mangiafico (26:59)
because the people I notice that reference this kind of stuff the most, there's also a theme in their life of not having accountability.
Nikki Humphrey (27:09)
Yes. And what all another word that came to mind is they're they have a strong victim mindset.
Hope Mangiafico (27:17)
Yeah.
Or so victim mindset and one that's just as bad and this is a prime example that I am current currently been walking through for a minute with someone else, a lot of fear.
So there is the example I've been journeying with with someone is they often say like hopefully it'll get better, hopefully it'll change soon. That's actually fear talking. Whereas they could do something to even that 1% change we talk about all the time, do that 1% improvement. But instead, multiple days a week, I hear, hopefully it'll change soon.
Nikki Humphrey (27:59)
Well, yeah, that causes us to ignore the reality of the situation.
Hope Mangiafico (28:03)
Yeah,
right, right back to the beginning of of this point. So there's no accountability.
There's and I mean to your point what you share too about victim mindset, I think fear and victim mindset go to the same they're under the same umbrella. and I reference it as fear because the person says that to me. I'm learning because they're afraid if they don't per speak out goodness, they're gonna lose what they have, if that makes sense.
Nikki Humphrey (28:35)
Mm.
Yes, it does.
Hope Mangiafico (28:37)
And
it's in a t it's in a relationship aspect, right? So if you don't tell the person, hopefully it'll change, hopefully it'll change, but you actually face the true reality, the person's gone.
So you're afraid of losing what you think is a good thing already.
Nikki Humphrey (28:51)
Right.
Yes. And you're you're missing all the the red flags that are waving all over the place.
Hope Mangiafico (28:57)
Yeah.
That one just really really bothers me.
Nikki Humphrey (29:01)
Yeah, you can't
Hope Mangiafico (29:01)
And
Nikki Humphrey (29:01)
pretend that everything's gonna work out.
Hope Mangiafico (29:04)
And mask it as faith. So sometimes the people use it to sound like faith, Nikki.
Nikki Humphrey (29:06)
Right. Yes.
That's what I'm thinking of some of the girls. You know, if God wants it to happen, he'll just is it's it just will all work out. Just gotta I just gotta
Hope Mangiafico (29:17)
If it's God's will.
Nikki Humphrey (29:18)
wait on that. It's God's timing. It's God's timing, not mine.
Hope Mangiafico (29:22)
That one, God's timing, which is a very real thing when it's applied appropriately.
Nikki Humphrey (29:27)
Yeah.
Hope Mangiafico (29:27)
God's timing and the God's will thing. Those two things culture have completely butchered
Nikki Humphrey (29:34)
Yeah.
Hope Mangiafico (29:36)
and messed up the truth of what that is.
Because it's again, no accountability.
Nikki Humphrey (29:41)
Right. And they could be anybody can be saying with something that might not be a good thing. Like, it'll be God's timing if he breaks up with that girl and then dates me. And I'm thinking, like, do you even want a a guy like that? Do you e would that even be a good person for you to have in your life?
Hope Mangiafico (30:03)
Right.
Nikki Humphrey (30:03)
Like we think that's
Hope Mangiafico (30:04)
Crazy.
Nikki Humphrey (30:05)
God's timing or God's will. Like
Hope Mangiafico (30:09)
So here's something I've been very guilty of, and it really compliments what you're saying. I used to try, to find things that are signs to validate what I'm decided to do, even. And I've had to actually, in this season of life or the last couple months, I try to refrain.
From making statements like that, like, that had to be God, just because it was something that I wanted, or I was hoping, wishing for a direction, and there was something there. And so I speak, going back to your beginning point, Nikki, of this point. I speak on God's behalf. You won't talk about a sin against God, which is what you were saying at the beginning of this point.
Guys, I took that so lightly and it is not something you want to take lightly. We're declaring things being God's will i or even if it's his will, and then we don't know this man. He's a stranger to us.
Like that's not how it works. It shouldn't work that way, I should say. There's an intimacy, as you have said a million times, the relationship aspect and wishful thinking and positive thinking, and hang it on by a in theory hope and prayer is missing that point that you have shared so many times on episodes, Nikki.
Nikki Humphrey (31:41)
And again, it comes back to the point you made. People don't want to have intimacy with God because they're afraid.
Hope Mangiafico (31:46)
Yeah, that's true.
That is very true.
Nikki Humphrey (31:49)
And y'all, he's seen it all anyway.
Hope Mangiafico (31:52)
Mm-hmm.
Nikki Humphrey (31:54)
He's cats out of the bag. He's he's it.
Hope Mangiafico (31:55)
We
Nikki Humphrey (31:58)
Like it's it's gonna be okay. He already saw it, he already knows it's okay.
He wants you to come to him. Like you've
Hope Mangiafico (32:07)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (32:07)
said so many times. Like a little child, crawl up in his lap and let it all out.
Hope Mangiafico (32:13)
Yes.
I'm trying to think of a a scripture that kinda brings that together really well. Because you're right. And funny enough, actually.
There's been a conversation recently with a family member about the fear of God. And I'm sure at some point Nikki and I have talked about this on an episode. but that has been something that I think in our brain, because the enemy would love for us to actually be afraid of God. And so we have if you read that in scripture like, there it is, I should, you know, be he he it can't go near him.
Despite the fact that the veil is torn and we can run up to the throne. I mean, minor detail, we can run up to him. But the fear of God, just so everyone knows that here's this episode, is the fear of being separated. Because think about this, he created all things, he is all things, he's in all things. So being afraid of him means you are missing on everything.
Everything you could ever desire.
Fear of God is fearing separation from the best gift giver, the most wonderful love, being saved out of every situation. And I say I say that without knowing people's situations, but when you make him the main thing and simply pursue him, the saving is that you get to be with him.
Nikki Humphrey (33:48)
Right.
Hope Mangiafico (33:48)
No
matter what the ending is. And that's where I want to land is he's enough. He is sufficient for all things. No matter what the end is.
Nikki Humphrey (34:00)
And that
Checkpoint or the thing we should ask ourselves when we're out in the world, when we hear these things, when we say these things, when we catch ourselves thinking about these things. Like, did Jesus say that? Is that in alignment of what
Hope Mangiafico (34:16)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (34:17)
the Father says? Check your Bible.
We're so quick. I know I'm so quick. I'll just put it right back onto myself. I'm so quick just to accept things at face value sometimes.
Hope Mangiafico (34:30)
Hm, yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (34:33)
And when
it comes to these important things about where my mind is going to wander to, what I'm focusing on.
I need to make sure that it's in alignment with my father. And he said
Hope Mangiafico (34:44)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (34:46)
that and that is truth.
Hope Mangiafico (34:49)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (34:50)
Because if it's not truth, then it's it could be pulling me away from him.
Hope Mangiafico (34:55)
Absolutely. And I've shared this before and guys I have implemented this every day, especially lately. The way that I make sure that I am not pulling away from my father when I'm feeling very stuck and unsure and you know, just whatever, just there. I asked the question, what would a daughter do? And that realigns me so fast and
A daughter would trust her father's word. A daughter would say, yeah, you have a letter for me. I just thought about that. You've got a letter for me telling me how much you love me. Which is the Bible, guys, in case you didn't pick that one up.
Like it recenters me every time when I become afraid. And I've learned, as I shared in this episode, kind of wording it differently this time around, it's very evident I still have fear of God if I'm afraid that if I don't do something that I'm disobeying him and he's gonna be disappointed. That's a fear. That's fearing my good father. So I'm journeying that out right now.
But that question, as soon as I ask it, I was like, yeah. He loves me. He would let me crawl right up in his lap even right now.
Always a good reminder.
Got anything else?
That'll do it then you think?
Nikki Humphrey (36:31)
I think so. I think that'll do it.
Hope Mangiafico (36:34)
Perfect.
Nikki Humphrey (36:35)
Maybe the question this week isn't simply, what did Jesus say? Maybe it's also, what have I been believing that Jesus never said? Staying comfortable? He said, follow me. Ignoring sin? He offers grace that can transform us. Just hope everything works out. He calls us to the truth that produces fruit. Hurrying through life.
He shows us how to walk with purpose, not panic. This week, pay attention to the voices shaping the way you lived, and then bring them back to Jesus. Because following him isn't about creating a faith that fits comfortably into our lives. It's about allowing him to transform the way we live them. Until next time, stay equipped, stay connected, and keep following Jesus.
