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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Renee, thank you! I just prayed this morning on my way to work that God teach me how to listen to how I can best serve him, in life, as a wife and in my career. I too have trouble knowing whether or not the things I hear in my head are just my own thoughts or whether it is God’s direction/guidance. I would love to win the “Listening to God” gift pack so I could watch the video you recommended and hopefully have a similar experience to you and hear God whispering to me. Thank you for continuing to inspire and encourage us everyday!
Thanks for sharing! Interestingly, I’ve been asking for the gift of discernment. I know I hear God but I usually lack the confidence to go with what He’s saying because I tend to turn to others because they are ‘adults’ in the Lord and sometimes what they tell me is more comfortable than what Daddy told me.
What I intend to do now is stop doubting and follow your guide to discern Daddy’s voice for He’ll NEVER lead me astray!
Wow…..God speaks through people too!!!! I’ve been lost; battling with what to do, career-wise, after my specialist informed me I won’t be returning to my job in the classroom. After twenty years teaching, I’m lost! I’ve been asking God to show me the way…..to tell me where he wants me to put my energy,asking if this is Him telling me it’s time to move in another direction, one more in line with His path……and I’ve been getting very frustrated. I’ve just listened to God speak through you…..thank you thank you thank you Lord Jesus…….time to ‘listen’ differently!!!!
Bless you and thank you
One thing I could do to become more familiar with God’s voice is to spend more alone time with Him. I’m a wife of a youth pastor, mother of four, a Liberty U online student and am also on a women’s ministry team. Even as of today, I am seeking God for a very specific answer regarding the ministry team. With all that I do, I find myself distracted by all the business and sometimes want to just STOP and REST in and with HIM. I covet your prayers and His leading!
For me to hear God’s voice I have to withdraw to my private sanctuary-my desk in a guest bedroom every morning at 6 AM, get very quiet before him and then pray. I see in my mind’s eye Jesus seated on the mount with His disciples at His feet listening to Him. I am one of them. I am amazed the Savior of the entire world would become my private teacher. I read the same passage of Scripture all week and each day Jesus tells me/teaches me something different. So often, it relates to what is going on in my life at that moment. I am blown away! I hear Jesus! It is then up to me to listen and obey Him.
I need to obey when I hear. I fnd there are times when I know God is speaking to me, but because I find it difficult to follow, I turn a deaf ear and wonder is this really God, when I know it is. Thank you for your insights and reminders of the things that we try to ignore, because it is easier to do it our way rather than God’s way.
for me, starting this online bible study is the first step in learning to hear God voice. I so often get wrapped up in the negative voices in my head and around me I do see what God has planned for me. I hope that by committing to the bible study and spending more time in God’s word I will learn to hear hhis voice above all others!
There are times when I know God is telling me to do something, even if it’s as small as picking up that plastic bag that’s blowing across the parking lot, and I do it. But I sometimes feel like the son in Matthew 21 who said he wouldn’t work in the vineyard and then did it anyway. God speaks to me clearly and I tell Him “I don’t wanna.” After some arguing, I usually do it, but grumble about it. “Okay, God, I’ll do it, but don’t expect me to enjoy it.” Part of me just sits back and laughs at my stubbornness. The times I know what to do and refuse to do the task are becoming more infrequent, but they still occur. I eventually get past my stubbornness, feel sorry, and then ask for forgiveness. Hearing God’s voice has become a process, and learning to obey also takes time.
I spend time every morning reading God’s words and in prayer but my prayer time is always of me talking and I don’t stop and listen. I need to grow closer to God by listening to him, not just asking. I have been living selfish in presenting my needs and wants to God but never listening to what he wants from me or needs me to do for him. Learning to trust God more is another thing I keep hearing God telling me to do, letting my defenses down and letting God work instead of me. Being faithful to him.
Hi Missy, I have the same issues. I can and do talk to God a lot throughout the day. I feel as though He is constantly with me and He is my friend, but I end up doing all of the talking, when true friends need to listen as well. I really need to learn to sit back and listen and be more observant in my current surroundings. When I catch myself talking or asking without a break (I don’t like silence and I am quite a chatterbox to begin with:) I take a deep breath and try to clear my mind. I have recently moved to another country and have not met a lot of people and I think right now in my life this was part of God’s plan for me to become closer to Him. I have a lot of free time and find myself reading the Bible or just having a one-way conversation with God. I am going to try harder to listen to God and find out my true purpose in this new country:)
One thing I have found that helps me to listen for God’s voice is using my prayer beads. They still my swirling mind and bring me to a quiet place to watch for consistencies in God’s plan for my life.
It is both inspiring and sad to realize that so many of us have the same problem of not being able to discern God’s voice from our own or just “noise”. I am in the process of learning that no matter what excuse I can come up with, I have to spend time with God not just daily but often each day. This does not always mean in my chair, by myself, in the quiet etc. It is that but also, hiding in the bathroom for a few minutes of prayer, stopping whatever I am doing and praying right there, sometimes even outloud, telling the kiddos I need to pray or we need to pray etc. For me, I have found that on my knees is when I seem to hear God best. I often need God to show me in conformation of threes that it is His will. He has always been faithful to this but I must be faithful in seeking him for it.
If I stay in God’s Word every day I’m sure to know when it’s Him speaking to me.
..over the years in walking with Jesus…this IS a KEY point..everyday in HIS WORD..a short time, or long time..my just ‘getting’ His word, daily…may it be in one ‘word’ only…one verse…even a verse in a song…I have to grab it..and take it in…and when I ‘rush by’ Him..during the day…ohhhh, the strain, stress that attaches to my soul!..thank you Jennifer for your good words….it is a ‘daily walk’….and the best thing to recall always…HE UNDERSTANDS and loves us all….and only wants to give us, His love…amazing.
I have come to realize that I don’t spend as much time with God as I should. So naturally I won’t recognize God’s voice that well. I have started to plan quiet times with God because I have found out that if I left it up to chance it will not happen. I find that quieting everything around me helps me to be in tune with God. I have learned that often we want God to be in the fire or earthquake but really he is in the quiet whisper that we have to be quiet to hear.
Hi just want to thank you for your site and daily devotions,I look forward everyday to start my day with Jesus Christ,I’m glad I signed up for this also keep it up g/f your such a beautiful blessing to me for sure,Love and Blessings,
I hate to admit it, but I neglect my husband after I come home from work. I have a very stressful job and just want to be quiet and read. He, on the other hand, recently retired and is ready for my company. I put my wishes above his so often. He is such a precious man, God truly blessed me with him. We’ve been married 30 yrs, and it’s so easy to settle in a selfish routine. I KNEW God had been telling me to do better, but today I commit to paying more attention to my husband.
This is a topic I have struggled with . I always second guess my thoughts, and think it must be my own imagination speaking . I want so much to really know my Masters voice and hear Him above all the loud voices of the world screaming at me .
When we second guess God’s voice, we have the Bible to help us and hopefully good Christian friends to call. Sometimes even when those things don’t blot out all of my uncertainty I lift up this prayer, “God, I believe you want me to do ____________. I’m feeling ______________. Please protect me and keep me in your will.” Then, I simply let go and allow God to do the driving. Knowing that He is a good God who is worthy of our trust reminds me that when we ask for wisdom/discernment/protection— He gives it.
When I am driving long distance from a job I know that God is talking with me, I too need to stop and listen to what he is saying so I could stay our of trouble with myself. I know that he is with at all time and we have this great conversation but I truly need to listen more clearly and have that open heart to accept what he has in store for me.
I know that it would take forever to read all the posts, but it is so wonderful to know how many of us are on the journey to have “A Confident Heart”. We are thankful to you, Renee, for inviting us on this journey with you, for sharing what you have learned, and for the opportunity to learn from and love one another! That is one way we can learn to discern the voice of God…surround ourselves with Godly counsel, voices of accountability and love, and hear God, not only in your secret places, but in those places with your most trusted companions.
The first thing I thought when I read this question is “Great, one more thing to do.” Then I thought “And I probably won’t do it well, either.” I guess I’m in the right place! Reading aloud really helped in our book study yesterday. Hearing the prayer in Chapter 1 out loud was very powerful. So I think reading aloud and also listening. Just listening for and to Him.
I need to be still and listen what God’s is saying about every thing in my life because it’s his will that I want for and in my life.I need less of me and more of him! so that is one of the things that I can do to become more familiar with God’s voice.