Welcome Confident Heart Online Study and Encouragement for Today friends!! If you’re new here, welcome!
On Sunday, I started an online study of my book, A Confident Heart and I’d love to have you join us! (Click here for more details).
One of the first things I learned, when it came to overcoming self-doubts and living in the security of God’s promises , is that we have to recognize and listen to God’s voice. It’s also the topic of my P31 devotion today. Here’s a little more about where my “listening to God” story came to a turning point. At the end I share “How to Discern God’s Voice” and a give-away.
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I sat on looking out the window, wondering what the future held. My excitement, mixed with the fear of getting over-committed, ignited a rapid firing of thoughts: What would I say yes or no to? What was God calling me to do? How would I figure out His plans and purpose for my schedule?
Wondering and worrying wasn’t getting me anywhere, so I wrote questions in a notebook: “Lord, what should I say yes to? Where do You want me to spend my time? Will You please show me Your plans for me this coming year?”
I wanted a sneak peek into God’s calendar so I could adjust mine. Instead, I sensed Him telling me not to worry about tomorrow but to live each day in the hear and now. {And He even spelled it that way.}
I did okay when it came to obeying God in the obvious things. It was selfless acts of obedience that challenged me most. But that day, I made a commitment to live in the “hear” and now.
A few weeks after, I noticed my husband’s side of the closet was a mess. Immediately I thought about how J.J. enjoys “order” although it’s not his natural inclination. Then I sensed God whispering, “One way you could really love J.J. would be to organize his side of the closet.”
I wish I could say I obeyed. Instead, I argued: “He’s a grown man; he can organize his own side of the closet. I have two kids, two dogs and myself to keep up with. Have you seen our garage and attic, Lord?”
“Did you hear Me? Are you going to obey Me now?” God’s Spirit nudged.
How did I know it was God? you might ask. Well, I knew it wasn’t my idea.
Just that week I’d read the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, and recognized myself in the third servant. He hadn’t been entrusted with much so he buried his talent in the ground. I always assumed since he wasn’t faithful with it because he thought his Master wouldn’t notice.
Sometimes I saw my role as a wife, mom and friend as “average” one-talent kind of assignments. Plenty of people have the same responsibilities, I thought. Without realizing it, I let myself slip into being selfish and impatient here and there. But God wanted my willingness in every area of my life – hear and now – acting on His promptings throughout my day.
Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27 (NIV) And the more we listen to and obey God, the more familiar His voice becomes.
Obedience means exchanging our will for His.
So, why does God wants moment-by-moment, day-by-day obedience? Because He loves us and wants us to trust Him.
God is so patient as we learn to trust Him. And we discover over time that it’s in our relationship with Him, we find the purpose, direction and meaning we’re looking for. When we live in the “hear and now” our calling and our calendar begin to reflect our love for Him, and His love for us — not our need for fulfillment or the desire for others’ approval and acceptance.
Dear Jesus, am I living and listening the way You want me to? Sometimes I fall into the trap of waiting for a better tomorrow or an easier assignment so that I can be faithful. Help me trust You. I want to but sometimes I’m afraid. Give me courage to listen and follow You with all my heart! Amen
PS. I reorganized JJ’s side of the closet ,and I’m almost sure I heard God chuckle and felt the warmth of His smile. May He smile on you today as you commit to live in the hear and now – acting on what you hear and living it out now.
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Discerning God’s Voice
Here are a few questions we can ask. When I sense God speaking, whether it be through scripture, an impression on my heart, circumstances or through His spirit in me, I always look for Biblical consistency:
- Is it consistent with God’s Word and God’s ways?
- Is it consistent with wise Biblical counsel I’ve sought?
- Is it consistent with God’s leading through doors He’s opened and closed?
- Is there a consistent theme I’m seeing in my life or hearing during my personal Bible study time, through sermons, Christian songs, conversations, etc?
Recognizing God’s ways and God’s will comes as we spend more and more time in His word. All of us have different things that draw us closer to Jesus, and here is one practical thing that helps me: watching the Gospel of John movie on DVD. It makes Jesus, His words, the people and the stories He lived in come to life in a powerful way. After watching it, when I read my Bible I can see Him and hear Him. Which makes me want to spend more and more time with Him, which helps me know Him and recognize His voice more clearly.
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So, what is one thing you could do to become more familiar with God’s voice?
Let me know by clicking “Share Your Thoughts” below and you’ll be entered to win my “Listening to God” gift pack which includes a copy of the Gospel of John movie on DVD, my book A Confident Heart and my message on CD, Rest Assured: How to Rest, Be Renewed & Remain in God’s Promises and Plans .
Also, if you want to join my online study, please click here for more details. I just found a deal this week for those who can’t afford the book and shipping. Amazon has the Ebook for $8.99 and they offer FREE Kindle for your PC software! So, you only have to pay $8.99 and the book downloads onto your computer! Email [email protected] if you want more details about that deal!
(If you are reading this post in an email, click here to return to my website to enter your comment into the drawing.)
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Hi. So excited for a chance to win. In the past,I have heard what I know to be God before naps or bed. I am sure its him Cuz the things he tells me are not usually things I think of. Love to share with you all
Renee
Thank you for this posting today! It really spoke to my heart. I made a commitment this year to place God more in my life. I am reading the New Testament this year on my Bible App on my phone. It is one chapter a day, that is so easy! I am doing good so far and also keeping up with your studies! I am listening to God and hearing when he has spoken to me lately. You are so right, when we stop and listen he is talking!
Thanks
Angela
Today’s subject hit me – I really need to spend ore time with God so I can hear Him. How can I ever follow His direction for my life if I am not consistently spending time with Him? I want to know Him and be known by Him.
I get really confused on this issue. But I think we can know God’s voice by knowing what His word says and paying attention to His leading in our lives thus far.
become less busy, and plan things in advance so I am not always rushing and on the go.
Thanks SO much for this! Just last night I had a group of 3 ladies ask when/what I’m going to do next. That next step is so scary and I’ve always been cautious and not much of a risk taker but this situation has been going on for at least two years and is not getting any better. I often wonder what the Lord wants me to do next. I have sought wise counsel on my situation and everyone seems to agree but yet I am unsure of how to proceed in taking that next step. This devotional was so timely!!! I will endeavor to make it a priority to spend time alone with HIm. I often find myself getting distracted when I try to do that.
One thing that I could do to hear God’s voice is to make sure that I’m taking time to talk with Him and ask Him things. So much of my day is spend doing. Watching the kids, reading the bible, checking my email, posting on facebook, cooking lunch, driving the car, changing diapers, . . . I hardly take time to stop the doing and start the resting. It’s good to talk with God continually throughout the day, but I really need a time of just me and God, not me, dinner, kids, tv and God.
I can come more familiar with God’s voice by reading His word, believing it for myself, and really receiving it in my heart, so that I know anything outside of that, that contradicts – like those nagging negative thoughts or past failures, can be superceded by the Word of God.
I have been through much over the last 8 weeks or so and I feel like I am starting all over with God…i thought I clearly heard Him tell me to take a trip home to where I used to live. Struggling in my marriage and his alcohol issues caused me to be just as bad. Once I got there i never had peace, what i thought was a trip for good, two weeks later I was driving back. I know now there was a reason for it but His will was definitely not what I thought it was. Being back and healing emotionally and spiritually over the last month has taught me much. I asked God to start using me again. I am not good at home alone al day. I want it to be His Way and in his time. I got a call this morning from the daughter of a 95 yr old woman i cared for two years. She asked me to please come, she would fly me down and pay all expenses. I thought and prayed and asked God if it was Him , not me and everything fell right into place. Even my husband agreed I should go. It will be a difficult trip for many reasons but I do believe when God moves us sometimes it is not always going to be easy….I need to trust and have faith that this is part of my healing and moving forward….I have to keep pushing out the fear and doubt…because it’s there big and I know that where there is faith, there can not be fear!!! Prayers for travel mercies and the unknown are appreciated. I love hearing all these posts it helps me know I am not alone and encourages me so to move onward and upward in Him!!! <3
Praying for you!!
I have learned I need to quiet myself and ask HIm to speak. Getting to that rested spot by reciting His promises helps also
To maybe just learn to be still!! I would just love to know how to control all the clutter inside my head, it sometimes exhaust me.. I try to Hear Gods voice but I can’t tell if it’s his voice or just me with rambling inside my head:( I hope to learn and grow with this bible study!!
I understand, Kim.
All that rambling in our heads is exhausting.. Praying that both of us will be able to hear Him.
I need to have less distractions and find a very quiet place. I really do want to hear God talking to me but it is difficult to separate my own thoughts and what I want to hear from what He wants to tell me. I am worried that I will not be able to tell the difference.
maybe Ijust cant accept what God is telling me.so I don’t really listen Idon’t know I do need to stay in his word and keep listening- to be still
Wow! I have never really heard God speaking to me. This week, however, I feel a definite theme circulating. Between the sermon on Sunday, beginning A Confident Heart book and study, the P31 daily devotion, and another Bible Study I am in, all the messages have been pointing to pleasing God, not man and following God’s will. How cool is that?! I suppose that that’s exactly what I need to be doing, right now. 🙂
Sounds like you are hearing from God!! How encouraging it is to discover how He speaks to us!
I try so hard to become familiar with God’s voice by studying His Word and praying. But I am realizing that I often don’t listen for His voice when I do those things. I believe God is asking me instead to be still when I open His Word. To approach His throne in prayer with quietness and ready to hear Him. To hush and just LISTEN for His voice. To actually SEEK out His voice in the Scripture instead of just reading it. To, in fact, just BE in His presence when I pray instead of just coming at Him with my bullet lists of things to ask for. This is the new prayer of my heart.
I try to read His Word in the mornings before I go to work and on my lunch break.
I’m really hoping to hear God…I’m waiting patiently.
My biggest challenge in hearing God in my life is believing that I am good enough to be someone that he would want to hear Him. I very much identify with the part in Confident Heart that says ‘move beyond believing in God to believing Him….or rather believing that He is there for me or even loves me. Struggling with how to do this. Need to break through the deep down screwed up belief that only gets it half right….when I fall into the belief that God is an amazing and wonderful God…but only there for others…because why would He be there for someone like me? I think I am generally a pretty good person, I try… I can’t pinpoint what I did so bad, or where I get that I am and never will be “good enough”. I think God could scream in my face right now and I wouldn’t hear. Sorry…feeling lost….I am at the one foot in front of the other stage!!! I believe in God, and I so want to know in my heart that his promises are for me too….just not there yet….sometimes I am scared I will never get it right…sometimes I think I am being tested an I am falling short….sometimes I wish I could just not care because then it wouldn’t hurt….and sometimes I am pretty darn good at pretending I am ok : ) Sorry…tough day.
Beth, I’m praying for you right now. My heart feels heavy for you. Please know that not any one of us is good enough to matter to God, it’s HIS goodness alone that makes us matter to Him. The only reason He is there for any of us is because of His love and completely undeserved grace and favor. It’s all about HIS being good. HIS absolutely undeserved kindness that never ever wavers. That’s why He gave us Jesus Christ — so that He could make us good enough to be with Him forever by the righteousness of Jesus. I am praying for Him to “scream” that love and grace of His right in your face. I know you will hear Him. Without a doubt. Truly.
Beth, I am praying for you right now. Please keep sharing and being real here. You matter to us and you matter so much to Jesus. We love you b/c you are our sister in Christ. All that you shared is what we’re going to be reading and talking about in Chapter 2 and 3. Feel free to go ahead and read those as they might be just what you need to hear right now. But then come back here and keep walking through Chapter one with us. We’re just gonna take this one step at a time because it is a process.
As Brianna shared – it’s HIS goodness that makes us good enough. It’s because WE ARE HIS – You ARE HIS!! He’s called you by name and you belong to HIM (is. 43:1)
I am SO glad you are here for this study, Beth! This book is just the right book for someone who does not feel like they are good enough! I am all too familiar with the feelings of not being “good enough” to deserve one scrap of His love or to think He would want to bother with me. But the truth is, He wants to give you more than just scraps. He wants to lavish His love on you. He wants you to hear His voice. Praying that through Renee’s book and through your time in His Word and in His presence that you will get a fresh revelation of how LOVED you are. Right now. Just as you are. Totally and completely. You matter to Him. 🙂
I love that this is the topic of your post today. My 5 year old asked me today why he couldn’t hear God. I tried explaining the best I could how we hear God (through His word, the Bible, through prayer, etc.) and shared some of my own stories of hearing God’s voice, but I really struggled with explaining this to him. Any advice?
One thing I can do? List out prayer requests and their answers/outcome. I have been saying I would do this for years, and haven’t.
One thing that I will do to hear Gods voice, is to believe in God’s promises for my life! Everyday!
Love you all!
Listening for God’s voice is sometimes hard to discern, but one sure thing is to copy His Words on paper. I do this each morning before prayer and after reading my devotionals. It is my sure clear way to hear His voice above all the other noise of the day.