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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Listening…..that has been my downfall lately. And I've justified it with the fact that I'm a single mother raising two children, one being a teenager, working full time, going to school, working to develop a side business and engaging in volunteer work. There is no time to listen but instead to move forward on what I believe to be His will. But is it really? How do I know this is what He wants for me. For my children? Today's devotional sang to my heart and came to the realization that I don't think I know how to hear Him. With that, my prayer was asking Him to teach me how to listen. To teach me how to calm my mind, set my sites on Him and His will, and to help me recognize when He is leading me and speaking to my heart. I also prayed that He help me listen to my children, my boss, my parents and the man who is dearest to me. Thank you for the devotional today and I thank Him for leading me to the work you do.
Good morning,
Thank you for your wilingness to allow God to use you to help others. Your blog as well your P31 encouragement has blessed me this day. My mind has really been racing with thoughts and emotions are once again riding the rollercoaster. It appears that I've reached crossroads in my life and need to turn …no it is my desire to go Gods way. Thanks again because you have helped me by your wise and Godly counsel.
Sometimes I find it hard to discern God's voice amidst all the other distractions in my life.
It is certainly a hard thing to recognize in a day without visions and writing on the wall, but God is so good to reveal Himself to us when we are in tune with Him. Something that a friend of mine recommends often is to make a 'Think On' list when you are fearful or doubting. Take Phil 4:8 and only think about what is true, honest, etc for that situation and it is a great way to realize which of your thoughts are coming from God and which ones are not. I wish I could say I am consistent about doing that, but as has been revealed lately in some family situations I have not been listening to God, but rather justifying my own thoughts. Thank you so much for this reminder and the great questions to use as a checklist. I am so thankful for your ministry. You have been a great encouragement to me time and time again.
Today's message on Proverb's 31 along with your blog message could not have had better timing. My life has been in somewhat a state of chaos since losing my husband to cancer 2 years ago. My faith was the biggest thing that got me through all those months both before and after his death. If it had not been for my belief in God and the fact that He knows best, it would have been so much harder to see him go. Since then, I have fought an internal battle as to what I need to do, where I should live, etc. I have been a student for most of that time but I need to go back to work, but I'm not sure what capacity that should be or at what. I have always relied on God to tell me or lead me in the direction I should go but sometimes as you say, I'm not sure if it is really God speaking or the internal thoughts of my brain just trying to convince me that's His way. I do need to really take the time to LISTEN to him. Thanks so much for your message.
I have continually struggled with knowing that I am hearing God's voice in my life. I know that I have heard Him speak to me and felt his pressing on me to do certain things for Him. But I still doubt that I hear Him. Recently, I was praying so hard when my son was in the hospital. I really heard in my spirit the Lord tell me that He was with me. Wow. That was definitely what I needed to hear, and I chose to believe that it was really His voice. Since then, I am believing that He does speak to me. I just need to learn how to listen. Thank you for your devotional and blog of encouragement.
Christie
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I can so relate to this; I have to continually tune out "myself" and listen to the Holy Spirit—I know there are times I want so much to say this must be devine when in fact I realize it is Satan trying to get his hooks into me and my life; Satan only comes after the saved, he already has his hold on the lost—the more I seek the Holy Spirit direction the more I know there will be trials to try to sway me—-but I know I have the victory in Christ Jesus, He has already defeated the evil one and He has my heart and soul—Thank You Jesus!!!!!!!! Alberta
I am always confused about which voice is speaking to me. Is it God, my own voice or the enemy? This sometimes makes me fearful of making a decision at all because I dont know who is speaking. I want to know it is the LORD! I want to make decisions that are in God's will for my life, but never feel like I am doing the right thing becuase I don't know how to hear Him!
My sister and I were speaking on this exact thing yesturday. Its hard sometimes knowing Gods will. My recent issue has been about church. Our pastor has been guiding the church through a fast, but I have been having my doubts about it. I have been wondering if I really should be fasting at this time? Is my heart in the correct place? And I am having a hard time hearing God at this time.
I am always so confused about which voice I am hearing! It is my own, is it the Lord or is it the enemy. Sometimes ( a lot of the time) it paralyzes me from making a decision or acting on something at all. Or even worse, I make the wront decision because I listened to the wrong voice! I want to when the LORD speaks!!!
Let me tell you how much I can relate to this topic! Thank you for the reminders straight from the Scriptures!! ~Amy S.~
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Sometimes I wish I had a clear cut, "This is what you need to do next…" answer from God. Trying to discern if/how to have an uncomfortable conversation with my parents.
Wow! So timely, (of course!) We are doing a church-wide study on prayer. My biggest difficulty with prayer is knowing that my words are not just bouncing off the ceiling. And knowing that it is a two-way conversation. Learning to hear the other side of the conversation, that is definitely where I need to learn more and practice.
I know that there are times where my prayer/devotional life are not what they should be which means my fellowship with God is not what it should be. When I am not in sync with my Savior then I am not going to be hearing the still small voice of the Spirit giving me direction. I know that I need to listen more closely for HIS voice and direction in my life and I need to be closer to him do so. I am going to be working on this area of my life.
Thank you for the devotional and the reminder to follow God through an entire process (not just the parts I want to follow). I intend to find some time where I can commune with God through prayer today. It gets tough b/c of my health and my two very energetic little guys but I am not going to have that be an excuse, no I am going to find that time anyway with God's help! Feeling better this morning already even though things are about to get busy-the youngest is rattling the crib:)Bring on this day!
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God IS AMAZING!!! Thank you for sharing your insights…I know without a doubt this is where God directed me today…and I believe God will allow you to post the remainder of your message in His perfect timing…I'm anxious to see what He has to share through you! I'm truly grateful that you have learned to listen and follow God's voice! Love, Kim
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Wow! Your devotion today on Encouragement for Today is exactly! What I needed. I have some major decisions to make and have been asking for God to direct me and show me where He wants, but the key thing I was neglecting to ask for was, discernment! I would love to win a copy of Lisa's book and I thank you for sharing this devotion!
That's one question I have often asked myself and will probably ask for the rest of my life! 🙂 I have a tendency to "go out and do" even if it has been His voice and have gotten on the wrong track. Thank you for your column today – a big help!
I have learned to trust wholly in God, Prov 3:5-6. Whenever someone tells me how to live my life (to go back to work instead of being a SAHM), I know it's the devil trying to get to me. God gives me enough ammo against him and I know that God has placed me right where I should be.
I love the daily email from Prov 31 and really enjoyed today's message. I have added you as a friend on Facebook. My name is Heather Lundquist!
God bless,
Heather in Buffalo, NY
This is exactly what I needed to hear. God spoke to me through this devotion! His timing is PERFECT! I am grateful that He spoke to you with your thoughts and words and to post it for all of us to LISTEN! Thank you!
Renee,
Your words of Encouragement was exactly what I needed to hear this morning. But as always that is how God gets my attention and I know it's Him. I think about something and God says I hear you and I Am right here. He is wonderful about speaking softly in my ear and patiently waiting for me to say"Y es Lord"? were you taking to me? Doesn't He ever grow tired of constantly chasing after us?
I remember being the Mommy of 4 small children under the age of 7 : ) I remember constantly moving and telling them Yes, No, Wait, Hurry Up, and Slow Down that I felt completely exhausted and would collapse into my bed at night. At that very moment I would snuggle into my pillow and thank God that I was not Him.
I don't want to follow my own path and make my own decisions and I want to hear His voice in my ear through out the day. But, I have a hard time because I'm never quiet enough to hear it. So, beginning today I am waking earlier than usual to spend time with him : ) Thank you Renee for listening closely to Him for your post to come exactly when I needed it in my life. Ahhhhhh yes, Gods timing is the best timing! Amen!