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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It so blesses my heart to read the posts from all my fellow sisters in Christ and know that I am not alone when I feel inadequate and unsure. I am going to pray that God will speak to me and that I will have the discernment to KNOW it is His voice and not mine. I want to entrust each day to His will for my life. I am praying for each and every one of you!
Thank you so much for your thoughts on this. I desperately want to live in the hear and now, but like you I often wonder if what I’m hearing is God’s voice or my own thoughts….so when I got your devotional in my email this morning at 10:30 I very much enjoyed reading it as I could easily relate to it. THEN when I got it in my email AGAIN this afternoon at about 1:40 pm I simply had to stop, read it again and personally reflect. It was obvious that God wanted tomake sure that I didn’t overlook it and really understood what I was reading. One thing I can do is to recognize that things such as this come directly from God. Lord, may I ever be aware of Your daily/minute-by-minute will for my life.
AMEN!!
I am new to learning how to study the Bible and struggle to discern how to listen to God’s voice and know that he is speaking to me and that I am not just hearing my own thoughts and ideas. I found the Proverbs 31 ministries site recently while trying to learn MORE about God. Renee, this was a very timely blog to discover, and I am so amazed at God’s timing.
One thing that I have discovered to help me devote time and listening to God is to fast. I am currently on day 15 of a 21 day Daniel Fast, and am trying to spend more of my time reading God ‘s Word. After this three weeks, I plan to fast at least one meal once a week so that I can continue to set aside time for listening.
I have struggled with listening to God for as long as I can remember. So many times I have put my will in the place of His and have only had heartache, stress and the frustration of being totally overwhelmed with life. As my husband and I are working to get on the other side of a very hurtful time in our marriage, we have realized that our time together had dwindled down to a few minutes a week. No relationship can thrive and become stronger with so little time spent together especially a relationship with God. Over the past several years I have put God on the back burner without even realizing it, I would always be busy doing something – taking care of our children, managing our home as my husband was in medical school and residency, serving others in our church, running from the grief of 2 miscarriages that I had completely left God behind. Not only was I not listening to God I wasn’t even within earshot. My daily goal is to begin my day talking with and listening to God, before I even get out of bed and ending my day with Him as well. I have found myself stopping in the middle of a stressful moment with my children, taking a deep breath and listening to God as he helps me remain calm and speak to them with love. The peace I am finding is like nothing I have ever felt and to think it’s been within reach all along, I just have to stop and listen!
God led me to your website at a time I was feeling alone and useless and what a blessing you have been! It seems that God has given you an insight to my heart and you minister to me each day. I hope you realize how much God uses you each and every day to minister to women that wouldn’t seek help anywhere else. My walk with the Lord is strengthened each day thanks to your encouragement and urging to see myself through His eyes. I did the study of your book with Melissa Taylor but felt it was well worth reading and studying again! God bless you and thank you for your daily posts.
One ot the things that God is having me do is getting rid of the clutter of my day so that I can focus on Him and His word. Part of that focus is the bible study on “A Confident Heart”. He is calling me to slow down and sit at His feet as he wants to mold me and make me into His image so that He can use me for His purpose.To not be conformed by the business of the world around me. I am acutually stepping down from leading a bible study to allow God to bring healing to a broken vessel that is empty. That has been beaten down with lies and discouragement from childhood that is affecting my everyday life and in order for that healing I need to stop and listen to what God says about who I am in Him and what His promises are that are in His word. I can’t hear it unless I stop and be still in Him.
Hi Renee, thank you for sharing your devotional today…very encouraging for my spirit to ponder on.
I often hear the Holy Spirit share things but forget to stop and really listen to what is being said, encouraging or asking me to do. Often times those words get lost in and amongst the rest of what comes my way that day and then I end up missing out. So, for me, it’s in my time with the Lord (making sure I have my time) that I can take those quiet whispers and actually hear what He is saying to me and I write otherwise I forget. At Christmas I received a one-yr chronological bible which is bringing a new excitement to my time in God’s Word. I also ask for direction from the Lord in the big decisions, but it’s remembering to ask, listen, & hear for His guidance in our everyday moments – thank you for that reminder. I have a friend who asks for 3 confirmations from the Lord, before doing something she feels she’s being lead to do. She always receives those confirmations – it’s this ‘thing’ between her & the Lord.
Blessings on your day!
Renee,
Thank you so much for these blogs and post!! I love the way you so simply put things. I have an “aah ha” moment…. 🙂 I get so much understanding from reading your daily blogs!! Thank You!!
I have a real problem with silence (how I wish I didn’t )…too many thoughts flying around. But when I first read Renee’s book when it was released and she suggested reading scripture aloud, it REALLY helped me to focus and HEAR. Thanks for the life-changing tip; it’s now my daily habit!
i could listen to God more if I took notice of those littel taps that He gives me. To be more open and hear and feel them and acknopwledge them when they do come while reading the Bible, working or just doing house work. Thanks, Renee, this is a great study.
For me it’s not that I need to become familiar with God’s voice. It’s that I need to actually listen to him and take action (even though it may be hard to do so).
Keep my committment to daily time with God–reading His word, praying and being still and listening.
Renee,
Thank you so much for your devo’s. I struggle with hearing God’s voice–is it His voice or my voice? I agree that knowing someone is one of the keys. I am trying very hard to be in the word more, to get to know Him.
God Bless You
To become more familiar with God’s voice I need to be aware of the “hear” and now moment(s). Then follow by obeying Him.
The thing I do to listen for God is, during my prayer time after I’ve read my devotional and my Bible and jouraled my prayer, I have a listened to God time. It’s not easy to keep my mind from wondering so I pose a question to listen for the answer to. Usually it’s “what can i do in your service today” or “What do I need to hear today” If I’m having trouble focusing on hearing the answer I say Praise the Lord” over and over in my mind. During this time the Lord will bring things to mind for me to do or think about.. Sometimes it’s an encouraging email I need to send to a friend or family member, or a commitment I need to not forget to fulfill, or something I’m trying to decide wheather or not do. Sometimes I can sense the Holy Sprit within. Sometimes I seem unable to connect, especially if I’ve been very rebelious with my commitments. Sometimes i’ve overslept and my mornig quiet time has been lost. I wish i could remain close and not rebelious all the time.
I think if I stop and be still in his presence that will help me hear him a lot better. Lord, help me to be able to be still in your presence and listen for your voice.
PAUSE~When we want to hear or listen to someone fully, we pause to listen~Why don’t I do that with God?!
One way I have found that I hear the Lord’s voice is when I am journaling my prayers to Him. When I journal prayers I feel like it helps me to stay more focused on Him and helps me to get my thoughts out. After journaling some of my favorite moments with the Lord are when I sit and am quiet before the Lord. Just spending time quality time with my Savior have been the times when I hear Him the most and the most precious and intimate times with Him.
I agree, I think that journaling my prayers to the Lord is very helpful. Thanks for the reminder that it is always good to just sit before the Lord and be quiet before Him 🙂 God bless you, Christy H.
One thing I could do more of in order to hear God’s voice more clearly is to spend more time on mu knees, talking with him and sharing my concerns and praises.
I’m not one to make comments very often, but this time, it feels necessary. Thank you so much, Renee, this is exactly what I needed to hear today. Reading the comments of other women, it’s encouraging to know that I am not alone. I struggle with anxiety, depression, lack of confidence, purpose… you name it. I have a lot of life-altering changes that may or may not be coming up in my life, depending on God’s plan for me. I’m struggling with patience to understand God’s timing. So, I woke up this morning after not sleeping well last night and knew that something had to change this morning. I felt that I needed to spend time with God because how I am supposed to know what he has planned for me if I don’t spend enough time with Him? Then I read my Daily Encouragement email and wow, it really spoke to me. I also had signed up for the Confident Heart online bible study, so it fits in more ways than one. Hearing God’s voice has always been a struggle for me. The questions that I can use for discerning God’s voice is very helpful. I am going to try to make it a point to do a devotion and journal as many days of the week as I can. I need to get through this difficult point in my life with God right where I need Him – in my heart and by my side.