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!
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Wow I love all uyour encourageing comments. I have read all of them in this section becoming a woman who listens to God. We are all at different places in our lives, but we all identify so much with each other. I posted my coments under the first section blessed and I read all those comments. Now, I want to say here that it is so good knowing I’m not alone in my struggles. I struggle with listening to god, I do all the talking. Now God is really challening me to take this confident heart study and he’s challening me also when I have been reading all the comments, I really sensed God speaking to my heart. I’ve been hearing a lot of great ideas and I know that God is speaking to me as I have been reading all your comments. For instance, I have trouble sleeping and I’ve read a couple of great ideas from a couple of you. one woman said about sitting up in bed and having quiet time before she’s ready to sleep. another woman said, about listening to sermons to help her drift off to sleep. I’m going to try sojme of these. I’ve told my boy friend my favourite bible teacher is dr. charles stanley he has such a calming voice, whenever, I’m stressed, i put a sermon of his on. Renee what a great study you have! and as I said God is really challening me with this to spend more time with him. also, I love watching TV since last night, it’s not working. I’m having a hard time giving him control as Toy was talking about I’m with her so many of your comments as I read, i find myself saying “I’m with you! it’s so nice to have this! Thank you Renee!
Thanks so much for a wonderful study. I am always looking for ones at home as I live in chronic pain and go out of the house very little.
I know one of my problems hearing God, is I don’t read his word enough.
Just to get my mind clear and at rest to hear and know it his him.
I take a lot of medication and my mind isn’t too clear. I always enjoyed bible studies but since I haven’t been able to go, I don’t have the fellowship, or any frendships, which is probably what I ask God for more then anything.
God has blessed me, I really need to read and listen to his word more, I just have a very hard time remembering what I read.
Thank you Renee!
I listen to music. God often speaks to me through songs.
Keeping the negative thoughts out of my mind and focusing on the postive. Studying his Word in the quiet and solitude of a quiet place so I can totally focus on His Word.
Definitely something I struggle with. Pain meds & NSAIDS don’t get along with me, so have to such a topical med which takes about 1/2 hour to dry. I have started using that time to read through verses, pray, etc. Can definitely tell a difference if instead just read a novel during my first application of the day.
I have really enjoyed being a part of this study. I bought the book on my Kindle sometime around Christmas,and I was so happy to see this study starting at such a perfect time for me. I felt it must be a nudge from God to really listen as I read. I realize now how much of my life I have wasted listening to my own self-doubt and others negative comments. I must stop that now if I am to live my life according to God’s purpose. I’m so excited to see where my life can go now that I’m putting my trust in God instead of myself or others.
Hi Renee!
One big thing I need to do is to just stop and find a quiet place and listen. Find quiet and be quiet and still and have communication with Him. I don’t do it anywhere near enough and maybe that’s why I’m so confused much of the time.
Thank you so much Renee for this particular part of our study. This is a question I have ALWAYS had ever since I came to the Lord. I always hear voices sort of in the back of my mind, telling me when something is right or wrong, or what I should really do..but I always thought it was just me telling myself. Obviously if it was me telling myself, then i’d already know what to do and wouldn’t have to wonder what I should do you know? Now after reading this, I realize it was always God speaking to me. I realize now that everything that has happened to myself and my family ever since I was born, all happened because it was apart of his plan to bring me to Him. I could sit here all day and type all the events in my life that have happened, that I now believe WAS and IS God’s plan for me. During the time, I always wondered “why me?”, why does this happen to me, but I don’t have to say that anymore. He always stayed right beside me even when I hadn’t realized it. It’s truly amazing how God brings you back to Him. This study is such a big help to me, so thank you Lord for Renee doing this, and thank you Renee!!
“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.” This statement is something that I have struggled with for as long as I can remember. Every time I think I am passed it then it rears its ugly head.
For me, the most important way that I will begin to focus more on my Lord is putting aside the thing that waste my time…Facebook! I have De-activated my account and it feels really great! This is just the place for me to start.
Oh, my!!! I just watched the video and the young lady in the video, Erin Moon, is my cousin! Amazing, isn’t she?!?!
I need to praise God with my lady friends who are learning to listen to God!!!! I have struggled with lost confidence in God and am struggling with depression because of it BUT GOD has been speaking to me as I stop the negative thots with HIS TRUTH. It is a moment by moment holding on to His WORD and believing that HIS WORDS slone are truth, but the racing emotions and fears are calmed each time I claim HIS truth. Praise God for HIS work. Renee you have helped to make me see it is concentrating and BELIEVING his truth over emotions and circumstance. I know this is just a part of what God is using in my life right now. But I am praising Him for the work that HE is doing and the time He is spending with me. Hallelujay! To the God of Heaven and Earth!!!!!!!!
I read here about looking for themes. We have talked about how singing Christian songs and singing praises to God will activate His power in our life. Yesterday at church my pastor talked about this in his sermon. He had the congregation sing along as he sang a song that he sings to uplift himself. The song was “These Are the Days of Elijah”. I thought to myself, I must write about this theme on Renee’s website!
“My excitement, mixed with the fear of getting over-committed.” I can so relate to this statement, and journaled about it last Monday. It’s funny how I would put this in the back of my mind and not really relate it to a lack of confidence in Christ, and subsequently not deal with it.
From last week- in answer to Chapt 1 Quest 5 – I need perseverance. I can plan things on paper, even get the ball rolling, but then I have a tendency to shirk back, like the task is bigger than something I can really accomplish. Part of it is insecurity and part of it is fear of success. I don’t know what all will be demanded of me once I am successful. Will I be able to handle that or will I just let others and myself down. I feel like even if I am able to get something going and see it to completion, will I be able to do it again and again. Like writing a picture book, or having a successful quarter with my business.
Thank you, Renee for being here for all of us. Also, I want to thank all of you ladies for sharing your hearts. I helps so much to read what is going on with each of you. I am going through the Daniel Fast with my spiritual family & combined with this study, has just been an amazing time for me! I have my joy back & it is growing daily! Thanks again to all of you & May God Bless each one of you & your families abundantly!
That’s awesome Angie:) I’m thinking of doing a Daniel fast myself.
As I read chapter two, I was reminded about the extent of God’s love. He loved us so much that he was willing to separate himself from his father’s love. On the cross Jesus was completely alone in His suffering. “My God, why have you forsaken me?” All comforts of the Father’s love were beyond the Savior’s reach. Judgement poured out on our Lord. The Hell that is meant for us. Christ was my sin bearer. To believe that Christ does not love me is a lie of the enemy that too many times I believe. Lord help us to come to you every time these thoughts creep into our minds and hearts. Help us to really believe you, not the lies of the enemy.
What a great way to start the study. It certainly makes sense that we must learn out to hear God before He can truly work in us and create in us a confident heart. As others have said, I struggle with being still and listening. I think that one way I can truly do this is to cut out some of the distractions in my life and put Him on my calendar. I love the idea you shared previously about having lunch with God rather than working at your desk or eating with friends. I understand the concept of hearing God and I am certain there have been times in my life when I have heard what God is telling me to say. Sadly though, I don’t feel at this time in my life that I am able to sit down and really listen to God. I want to learn to do that and to see what He has in store for me when I do. I love the questions you listed that we should ask ourselves as we are trying to discern if God is telling us something.
Thank you and God Bless!
I loved the thought of “live each day in the hear and now!” Love the emphasis on the word “hear.” Seeing this inspired me to forward this devotion to my step daughter and her friend. We were just talking the other day about how to hear God’s voice. Thank yu, God, for the timing of the conversation and this devotion!
I wish I could say that the reason I am sometimes disobedient in my walk with God is because I am not certain it is Him speaking to me but …. unfortunately that is not the case. In fact, numerous times in the past few years I have used His speaking to me to share the good news. I can remember the first time I know that God spoke to me was on a bus ride home from Wonju, South Korea, to Seoul … we had just crested a hill and the sun was blazing its last rays of the daylight hours and God said, “you know, Susan, you won’t be here forever … you need to do these things now.” Now you would think that would have been enough to set me on my right path but …. Another time I was looking at a possible rental house in Germany where I had been posted to work and God said, “this is not the place for you … where will you put all your things with no closets?” The most recent time He spoke to me was the morning the garage sale as we were preparing to be posted to Seoul in 2004. Things had not been going smoothly for the move and it was looking like I was going to have to leave my husband behind and I was very anxious about this as we had only been married for 3 years (late life marriage after being a single parent for almost 20 years — thank God for him everyday). I had gone inside to clean up and get prepared for our customers and I was pulling on my T-shirt and God said, “stop worrying my daughter, I am working it out.” And, He did! I am so happy to be in this study … thank you for offering it and for sharing your wisdom.
Things I can do to learn His voice are for me to stop talking so much and just be still for a change and listen to HIm instead. Hard for Him to get a word in edge wise when I’m doing all the talking! I struggle with quieting my thoughts so it will be a challenge, at least at first but I really want it so I will definitely work on it. Also, by studying all His names and being in His Word more I will learn more about Him and know His character and how He interacts with me so I will know it is His voice.
Thank you SO MUCH for writing this book and sharing yourselves with us, Renee! May you always be blessed!