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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I could so relate to your blog/devotional. I loved reading the ” hear and now”….that is something I need to do more is hear and listen and be still.
El Roi, The God who sees me. I am a window through which God can see all of me. Despite the false walls of self I build, He continues to love the true me. All the while He sees me I only foul myself thinking that my efforts are enough. God is all seeing, all knowing, and all loving.
Thanks for being El Roi to me!
I know God wants me in His word more. I’ve dragged my feet for sooo long….fear, rebellion, confusion???
I am also hearing Him say that He wants to love on me, compliment me, affirm me, tell me that I’m worth pursuing. I’m asking Him to help me hear His voice loudly and clearly in this area.
Sometimes I feel that I am hearing God’s voice and following his lead….and I run right into a brick wall. I end up feeling so let down and confused and this has really made me doubt…..doubt so many things. Discernment….it’s so difficult for me.
I “usually” make good decisions based on my instincts and I credit that to God. I have been recieving the Proverbs 31 devotionals to help me become more familar with God’s word and this is helping along with the study we are doing now to listen to the messages he is giving me.
Like your devotion today, I need to listen to what I hear as common sense! It really is the Voice of God speaking to my heart that I brush aside as just me! I also pause….be still and know He is God. Living a more quiet, simple life tunes my ears into Him because I cant hear Him when Im rushing around, distracted with too much information or noise coming at me!
I try to remember to do this, as well. “Be still”. So simple…..but so easily overlooked. (by me…)
Quite a few years ago I was trying to quiet my mind so I could hear God better. It was a challenge for me. As I was sitting on my couch I heard a voice behind me that said “Be Still” I know but know it was the Lord speaking. Our world is so filled with constant noise that it is almost impossible to hear Him! So many distractions! But, He is a patient God and He wants us to hear Him even more then we want the same thing. It is a blessing to be a part of this study!
I so love this study. It is hard to “be still and quiet” for me. I set aside time every morning, but there are very few days that I am able to spend this time uninterrupted. I have started going into my bathroom and locking the door, and if that does not work, I lock my bedroom door and go into my closet.
Taking this time has helped me deal with my grief since my husband died in October. The day of his death, I walked into my bathroom and locked the door and feel on my face and asked the Lord to guide me, give me the strength I needed and to help me put on the armor of his love to get through this. Such a sense of peace overcame me and I knew that He would be with me throughout this new journey that I am on. He does not guarantee me that it will be easy, but even on the worst days I have such a sense of peace because I know that my Lord and Savior is with me always guiding me and that he has a plan for my life if I will only “be quiet and listen.”
Bless you Miss Renee and all of the other ladies at P31! You are all such an inspiration! Thank you for doing this study.
Phyllis….Your story has moved me. I pray for your continued peace and strength in your trial.. Thank you for sharing your story. I also love all the ladies at P31. I have been receiving devo’s for quite some time and they have helped guide me to a more secure place in God’s hands. With Love in Jesus. Cheryl
I so feel for you Phyllis. I also had a death i the family last year. We lost our grandson to a heart condition that we did not know he had. It has made me more aware that I need to do more to become closer to God myself. I pray for your peace in the Lord and the knowledge that we will be with out loved ones again.
I hear God most clearly through His word. I do not have a great memory but, I try to memorize praise verses. In the morning I have several now that come to mind instantly and I thank the Lord for them. It is wonderful to give Him praise through His word. This helps to keep the negative thoughts away. Throughout the day I give Him praise through song and talks with friends. His spirit keeps me on track, giving me discernment and I praise Jesus for that.
I know the question is what I need to do and not what I did but as I read the entry above the homework it dawned on me what just happened to me yesterday. All at just about the exact same time a server crashed at work (being in my technology position that’s not a good thing), my son was coming home on the school bus and we had numerous inches of snow that had fallen during the day that covered the driveway he would need to walk up to get in the house (he is in middle school but totally blind and i only sent him in tennies shoes that morning) and a young college woman I’m mentoring called & needed to meet for coffee. Needless to say I felt like I was spinning like a top about the time she called. My flesh told me there is absolutely no way I can do one more thing right now and almost in he same moment I felt God nudging me to make time for the important stuff. I told her that I would need to discuss the time with my son because he would need me for homework and I didn’t know if he’d be up for starting right away so I could meet her in a couple hours or if he wanted to wait and do it when I returned. After talking with him a time was set for us to meet. I was able to get the driveway & sidewalks cleared of the 4-5inches of snow and the computers up and working at work again and during the time I was helping my son with his homework the young woman called and said a friend from the east coast got into town a couple days early and she wouldn’t be able to meet any longer but she’d talk with this other friend. God just wanted my obedience. I didn’t know how I was going to fit it all in but He did. Listening to Him really has its blessing! I praise Him for being all knowing!
Although I talk to God throughout the day and pray often in my day, I really need to set up time daily just for Him. Even if this means starting small and adding time each week.
I tend to do the same….talk to Him throughout the day and ask for guidence but the real quiet still time I need to do as you mentioned. Start small and work into carving out more time. Thanks for the idea.
By taking the time to spend with God- just he and I. He is waiting for all of us .
To be still & know that He is God! How can I hear Him, unless I’m quiet. Resting is a struggle for me! But I want to recognize what God wants.
I am so excited to learn other people have the same thoughts and struggles I have. I am learning if I pay close attention-Be still and know that HE is GOD, it feels as if I can hear HIS voice in my heart. I know it sounds silly but that’s what it feels like when HE speaks to me. Now don’t get me wrong we do not have a two way conversation all day any day…just sometimes I feel HIM nudging me to do what I know HE wants me to do. Like straighten the other side of the closet!!
Thank you so much, Renee for putting it all out there for us.
Great advice, Renee. I had one week where 4 different people recommended the same book to me. I told God, “OK, OK, I get it! I’m gonna read it!” I just know sometimes He is wondering how the heck I can be so dang hard-headed, and not hear Him when He is so clearly talking to me! 🙂
I’m going through a huge transition in my life and my confidence has been shaken. This study is so good for me. Since the study God has used your message, sermons, music, and others to reinforce my confidence in the Lord. I’m so grateful!
Sometimes, I don’t believe that what I am hearing is truly from God. I often say— “He couldn’t possibly call me to do that! I’d be horrible at it!” I need to embrace the reality that God not only knows the numbers of hairs on my head, he formed me in my mother’s womb, wrote his words upon my heart, and died for me. When he calls and speaks my name, I need not fear, he knows me better than I know myself. His desires are much more perfect than my own. So, I need to trust. I need to trust that God is God and when he whispers to me I can trust him. By trusting his voice, it will become more familiar to me. Sheep do know the sound of their Shepherd’s voice.
I definitely needed this. I’ve been really struggling to hear God’s voice. This has really helped me draw closer to God and now I’m starting to get back into earshot range of what God wants for me. This would be the one thing that I struggle the most with. I want to hear what God wants me to do, but when He would reveal what He wanted me to do I would think that I could do it on my own time. So I want to commit to hearing God’s voice and doing as He commands me to do.
Today’s devotional has coinciding with other themes I have been hearing whether through your book, sermons, or other devotionals I have read this past week. As I was reading today, you mentioned that when we think of something that we wouldn’t naturally think of it could be God. You also mentioned that one way we can be more in tune to God speaking to us is through the themes that we notice. One thing that I’ve always had a hard time with is listing to God. I was reading Lysa’s book last week and she mentioned the same thing, and God has been speaking to me through all of these messages lately.
Quite frankly, I love it when God speaks to me through His word and our daily communication. Just today, a thought crossed my mind about a job opportunity. I already have a full life now, and I am not sure this is the path God has laid before me. I knew immediately that I need to talk with God daily about this opportunity, and I am pondering doing a fast. However, fasting is a new experience with me, and it makes me a bit nervous. When I read the email today from Renee, along with the devotion, it really underscored how much I need to spend time with Him every day, seeking His wisdom, especially with regards to this decision. I think, above all things, I need to be in His word daily, seeking after Him.