UPDATE: Hi sweet friends! You moved me with your response to my devotion and your stories, questions and more. I’ve been praying for you as I read your comments. So many thoughts rush into my mind – things I’d love for us to process together. Please know I haven’t forgotten to come back and write more. Unfortunately, I caught my 2yr old’s cold and it slowed everything down. I’m better now but I have a project due to my publisher today for my book. With the weekend coming, let’s plan on meeting here Monday. And I’ll announce the winner of the book then too! If you haven’t entered to win, read this post and you’ll know what to do!
I’ve got a devotion today over at P31 and Crosswalk about becoming a woman who listens to God. If you’d like to read it, click here. In it, I shared how I used to wonder if I was hearing God’s voice or just my thoughts. Does that ever happen to you?
Well, before we jump into our talk about listening, I first wanted to “welcome” any new friends who are visiting for the first time from Encouragement for Today. We’re glad you’re here and hope you’ll stay a while! There is always a place for you.
One thing that helped me listen to God was learning how to capture my run-away thoughts that caused me to doubt my ability to discern God’s voice. Several years ago, I came up with a few questions I ask myself when I sense God is speaking to me, 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?
There is a little more I wanted to share about increasing our confidence in our ability to recognize and respond to God’s voice, but I’m having technical difficulties as I try to pre-load this. So I’m pasting in the give-away I promised below, and will work on the rest behind the scenes. I’ll try to have it loaded later on Weds. Aster is home so I never know how my plans will go :-). Be sure to come back for more encouragement. I’ll add to this and leave the post up until Friday when I announce the winner!
If you want to become a woman who listens to God, and discover the adventure of faith He has for your life, you will want to read Lysa TerKeurst’s book What Happens When Women Say Yes to God.
Today, I’m giving a copy away to one of you! Enter to win by clicking on the word “comments‘ right below this post and share your thoughts or questions about listening to God. Please include your email or friend me on Facebook so we can let you know if you win.
After you’ve entered to win, click here to download a great FREE resource from Lysa’s book with more ways to hear and discern God’s voice.
**To find out when this post is updated and to see if you are the winner, be sure to link up in the Google Friend Connect box orbecome a friend on Facebook!
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I have read so many comments of God talking to people that were already practicing Christians, but He has been talking to me, He has been leading me and I wasn’t reading the bible, praying, I was just living. I didn’t really know what was happening until I heard the voice in my head that wasn’t mine, not an audible voice but more like a memory of a conversation from the past. I thought maybe I was losing it and even my own mother called me bi-polar but I’m not and my faith is strong.
Appreciating the time and effort you put into your blog and in depth information you offer.
It’s awesome to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same outdated rehashed material.
Great read! I’ve saved your site and I’m including
your RSS feeds to my Google account.
I never know when God is actually talking to me. I never know when it’s just me or if it is actually Him. He has told me to do so many things that I just don’t want to do. One of these including being a youth pastor when I am older, which is really not in my interest of things in what I want to do when I’m older. I would much rather work with little kids, or babies. I feel like I could serve Him so much better that way. I am a teenager, and I feel so guilty that I don’t want to follow this path. Everyone that I have talked to says that I need to just trust Him that He will prepare me, and I know I do, but it’s just not what I want to hear. When people tell me that, it doesn’t reassure me that everything will be okay. I know we have to follow what God says to do but this is really difficult to explain to people and for them to comprehend. Doesn’t God give you a calling that you should be excited about, and something that fits your strengths and abilities? This has been weighing on my mind so much lately and I don’t know how to handle it. This same thing reoccurred during the summer and I kept praying and praying. Soon enough He told me that it was okay and I didn’t have to worry about it anymore. I was so relieved that I wouldn’t have to deal with this again, and now I feel like it’s coming back. Is God just testing me so that I can trust Him and not worry about this and that He will give me a calling I’m excited about? Or what is happening here? I am just so confused.
Renee: I thank God for you and Lisa Turkeurst. I am at a point in my life (59, almost 60) and I feel God pulling me into a new field of ministry. I have been a church pianist since I was about 12 and taught Sunday School, Primary Church and Bible School most of my life until after my boys grew past the ages of being involved. A couple months ago, our pastor asked me to lead a lady's study group. While I have attended many Bible studies and know what seems to work and what doesn't, I am scared to death. As I was searching on the internet for something that would be relevant and meaningful to the women of my church, in today's fast paced world, I assumed I would use something from Joyce Meyer, whom I love and have listened to for years. I happened about Lysa Turkeurst' dvd and book on Becoming More than a Good Bible Study Girl. I started reading from reviews and Lysa's website and was so excited by what I had found. We have had two sessions and the third one will be this Wednesday. My pastor tells me that they were praying for me before I ever visited their church. He said they need people who are willing to take leadership roles and he said I fit that bill. He's not just saying that because he gave us spiritual gift test when we were taking membership classes. I study and feel so inspired when I pray and study with the Lord at home. I feel paralyzed with fear and aggravation that I don't feel I can properly share the truths and insights that the Lord is filling me with. I feel called to do this but my self confidence asks me who do I think I am that could teachsomeone else? Sometimes I ask the Lord if He is giving me this knowledge to hide under a proverbial bushel? Why do I feel so unworthy to lead others? In my vocatiion, I have to speak and have verbal interchange on my Board. As long as I can research and have documentation up the kazoo, I feel safe. I want to freeze up when it comes to taking responsibility for teaching others. I feel so inept and unworthy. I am loving reading the words that you girls have written. I would love to get away with other Christian women and learn from them how to transmit the wonderful thoughts that God gives me. The women in the class say I am doing well, but I want to see them grow closer to the Lord and I want to be used of God and not be afraid. Thank you. Deborah
I just found you (all) and I have two words … THANK YOU! You always have just the right words at just the right time 🙂 God Bless You!
Tina
I so need this today…yesterday was praying for God to speak to my heart…need BIG answers, my eyes and ears are open to YOU Lord…I will wait patiently on you…Amen
I so need this today…yesterday was praying for God to speak to my heart…need BIG answers, my eyes and ears are open to YOU Lord…I will wait patiently on you…Amen