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 just know!! He is always speaking!! Mostly I catch it because of like Renee said:: repetitive themes throughout. The things I read and here from Pastor Brian, And just things I run across: it sticks out!! I can’t help but to just “know” it is from Dad 🙂
I need to do less talking. I have the tendency to talk and talk and I need to ask God my questions and then actually take the time to listen.
Love your devotion AND what you have here at your site today. “Hear and now.” That is so good. I am SO guilty of wanting Him to let me know the main plan and then I try to get there on my own. Not asking for His direction ALL along the way. Not taking it day by day. Step by step. But right now I am in the midst of a season where it HAS to be day by day. Step by step. I have NO idea how get to where I think He is leading me. 🙂 And I guess that’s a really good thing. I need to realize that when I think I know the way and stop asking Him questions and waiting for His voice, that is actually a dangerous place to be.
Love you bunches.
K 🙂
To help me hear God’s voice, I need to be in a quiet space. While I know he talks to me throughout the day, I seem to listen the best when I am without distractions.
Discerning God’s voice has been on of my biggest struggles. I was excited to see questions that I can ask myself to help me see if what I’m hearing or feeling is God speaking to me or if it’s my own voice. I have to adnit that I felt guilty at first because I dont feel that I have any authority to “question” if God is truly talking to me and I wonder if I’m just not walking in faith. But after reflecting on the topic and praying, I don’t feel as bad or as guilty about going through a series of questions. I want to deicern God’s voice and I NEED to hear his voice at times. Some situation are too important not to make certain it is God’s voice and not mine.
Stay in His Word and be quiet… not always be thinking of what I’m going to do next, but pause to let Him lead me. Thanks, Renee!
This is a struggle of mine right now. I constantly pray for God’s guidance & for Him to take the lead, but I don’t think I ever actually sit still to listen. I jump too fast at things & I just need to live in the “hear and now”. I believe God is speaking to me right now through you! Thank you!
For me hearing God speak to me takes silence around me and in my mind. My mind is always running around and saying there are more things you should be doing than sitting here trying and waiting to hear God’s voice.
My best time of talking to God and waiting for him is: in the carpool line….I know people think I am crazy cause I will talk like someone is in the car next to me not to mention I sing His praise !!!
Be Blessed
Yes! I want to recognize when and how God is speaking to me. I want to depend on Him each day. I do meditate on His word. I want to deepen my faith and I desire to be used greatly in His kingdom. Writing draws me closer to Him.
Thank you and I do want to complete the Confidant Woman Bible study!! Please enter my name to win the Listening to God packet. Thank you.
A way for me to be able to hear God’s voice is just being still sometimes. Other times it takes me getting active and taking a walk in God’s creation to settle my heart and mind. This is besides having my time with Him every morning!
A way for me to hear from the Lord is to sit and read His Word and meditate upon it. Also singing draws me closer to the Lord as well.
I felt clearly the Lord pursuing me through this Bible study. See, I lost my dad last year and through the grieving process, I think I lost a lot of will to read/study His word. As a true daddy’s girl, it was just all I could do to function like normal after that loss. A result of this has left me complacent and somehow not very confident in myself, just when I need Him the most. So I felt the tug of the Spirit moving me into some sort of bible study. I then “happened” to come across the Proverbs31 website where I found the link to this study.
I will say, one thing I have learned in this situation is to be open and honest in my prayer life with God. I can truly come to Him at all times in various moods, for any need. I believe my prayer life was very formal or something before. I think the one thing I could do to become more familiar with God’s voice is to stay in constant communication with Him. I think also stopping to listen, instead of me, me, me. I am learning patience, to wait on His move/word.
I am truly excited about learning in this Confident Bible Study, for the first time in quite awhile.
A sure way for me to hear from God is to sit down with paper and pencil in hand. Then He and I have a conversation. Actually, He is speaking ALL the time. I just have to be sensitive to listen and follow with obedience.
mixing faith with the hearing
I am consistently distracted–by demands, by worries, by technology, shiny objects (not really!) But seriously, it seems that when I try to pray or commit my thoughts to the Lord fears or worries or to-do lists creep in. I am convinced that Satan is present in these distractions. While I realize that God wants us to be faithful in our time with Him, I feel like He is also showing me that we all “do” our faith differently. For instance, I am much more likely to be disciplined in reading a scripture-based book like A Confident Heart than I am in trying to read the Bible in One Year (that was last year’s project. I still have two year’s worth of reading to do!) Similarly, prayer–I gravitate toward writing, and am a much faster typer than hand-writer. So God has really impressed upon me the need to write my prayers. Since I have started doing that regularly my relationship with God has been stronger and more consistent, I have been more likely to pray the more “traditional” way, and I feel like He is much more present in some battles I have been having. So I am thankful that He has given each of us our own ways of connecting with Him, of listening to and hearing his voice, and also that we have this platform for sharing. Your stories and observations have been a true encouragement this evening!
Sometimes it’s through God’s Word that He speaks and sometimes it’s just before getting out of bed that an idea or thought comes to mind and it is so clear and perfec,t it can only be from God. Then there’s those times of silence and waiting and wondering, He trusts me in those times and I need to trust Him and His timing. Just waiting to see the unfolding of His plan can through me right off, doubt and concern tumble in like a tidal wave, then the PDF gets thrown once again.
Renee, this is my second time through your study, I did the one with Melissa. I felt so empowered the first time through and acted on what I thought was God talking to me and it didn’t work out and I am left wondering if I really heard God or myself. There were two things, one was re-uniting with my husband and the other was a job offer that I really felt came from God but I didn’t take it. I felt as though I let God down by not accepting a position that He brought to me. And with my ex husband, I felt that although God was leading me, my heart was not in it and the reconciliation did not happen. I am so confused right now. I love your book, and carry it with me all the time, re reading each chapter and trying to grasp the confidence again. I am on my knees constantly. Thank you for the blog and the chance to vent.
I need to learn to still my self and am doing so with the help of this reading each day.
Hi,
I am enjoying your daily posts, they keep me motivated.
I need to spend more time in the Word and more time in prayer. Thanks for reminding us how important it is to listen to God’s voice.
~Anna
The question that has stuck out at me is from the first day of the study…What do I need to let go of to give You more? I need to designate time after my young 3 kids go to bed to spend time with him and let go of the TV! Use my tv time to be with Him and listen for His voice. Use this time to pray and study, to be still before Him.
*Jessie