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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Hi Renee
Its so amazing to see how God connects thing…
The last 2 weeks and for the next couple… our Pastor is preaching on Power of A Whisper by Bill Hybels…
Its been great so far… talking about how to discern if it it God speaking to us…. and the points were pretty much what you mentioned…
My husband and I are really trying make sure that we are listening for His voice…..and need discernment on some unspoken requests.
Thankyou for sharing what God has put on your heart.
I would love to read Lysa's book….I want to be a woman who says yes more to God…
Chrissy Gunning
Really could use the book. Reading the other comments makes me feel better that im not the only one who struggles to hear God's voice!
God Bless!
I do love how God provides exactly what we need exactly when we need it! This topic of listening to God has been a struggle for me for a few months now. Your devotion shed a light on what may be a link to my struggle… to abide in His presence AND promises. I now realize I am not reminding myself of God's promises when I spend time with Him… a key step in faith! He has promised many things in His word, but I lack a depth of intimacy with Him if I only "read" His word and not rely on His promises. Thank you, Renee for encouraging me by sharing how God is reaching your heart.
I think about this a lot too. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us! [email protected]
I have been in this place myself of questioning whether or not I'm hearing from God or my own thoughts. This is when I know that I have to fast and then I truly hear clearly from God what He wants me to do. I have to remind myself daily that as long as God has me in the palm of His hand, that there is nothing to worry about. This is how I stay on point with my Faith walk and trusting that God is going to work it all out.
Jackie
What an encouragement it is to me to realize I'm not alone in the "charge ahead and get it done" category! I'm learning (daily!) to just ask for the next step. I don't need to know where the path is leading. I just need to know the next step He wants me to take. After reading your devotion, I'm humming "Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus; just to take Him at His word. Just to rest upon His promise; just to know thus saith the Lord."
I amazed that how God leads us to certain readings and scriptures when we are pondering things. I recently joined my husbands church and i feel like i am in a dessert with dry bones, although i joined the choir ministry and the womens ministry i just don't feel the same. I know that joining him was Gods plan, however in choosing the ministry i wonder if i am wear he wants me to be. Your words have encourage me to be stead fast because i know he has everything in control, i just don't want to miss his voice when he speaks to me. Nicole
I have often wondered when it's my own thoughts or if it's God whispering in my ear. Lately I have been struggling through a very tough job situation. I keep hearing Him say…don't worry about that…you won't be here for it. I have heard Him say it often so I keep telling myself to trust Him. I don't have to suffer through this much longer and He has bigger and better plans for me. It WILL happen. Great Blog and thanks for confirming what I have been feeling in my heart!
Renee,
What you said in the P31 devotion about how God being more interested in my ear more than my efforts (which, let's face it are usually lacking), that he wants more intimacy with me and daily and some days moment-to-moment dependence on Him, and especially that He is more interested in my character than my calendar — that was the big gun — really touched me in a very soft, vulneraable patch of my heart. I'm a very task-oriented person and I get caught up in checking off the boxes in my to-do list. My busy-ness drowns out God's still small voice most of the time…Thank you for your encouraging words to my heart today.
Joyfully,
Jenn
I'm in the wilderness right now and have lost trust in when I "think" I hear God speaking to me…..
[email protected]
God has really been speaking to me about listening to Him daily. Your devotion really encouraged me to search my heart about this very important topic. Thank you!
Holly
[email protected]
I have has major choices come up in my new Chrsitain life. I pray and wait and then I feel that God is leading me. If I don't follow, I usually won't have peace. When I do follow His leading; there is peace. Or so I claim…later AFTER the choice has been made—–I second guess myself…was that what God said? How do i know if its God speaking to me?
I've been in a "valley" season of life for over a year now…unemployment, then employment for a short time, then unemployed again. Financial concerns. Strained marriage. Issues with my husband's new career direction and friendships with young women I think are inappropriate. College daughter that has been depressed. Strain with my siblings over estate division of my mom's estate, to the point we are not speaking anymore. At the times I feel the lowest, I get on my knees and pray for God's mercy and that I learn the lessons He wants me to learn in this season of life.
Thank you for your devotion and work with Proverbs 31 ministries
WOW….Did this ever speak to me. I know I have been thinking it for years and through making moves in KNOWING I heard God but doing it all in my steps and in the way I "thought" he wanted me to or before he wanted me to. When I failed I ran and blamed Him. Now I question everything…was that God or I think God told me and never really moving due to fear of letting Him down again. What you said though on giving him my heart totally and allowing him to build the character is exactly what he is telling me to do and has been for a while now. Thank you so much for allowing Him to speak through you.
Dondi
I prayed your prayer from the post 'Listening to God.' My thoughts do get distracted and I can feel myself falling away from dependence on God. A very unsafe place to be in a world given to sin. I have always struggled with hearing God's voice. I thought it was just for the 'really Christian girls.' I believed I had to have a super-uber Christian life in order for God to speak to me. But as I have studied, prayed, listened and learned from 'real' life people about their journey with Christ, I have come to find out that God loves me deeply and is molding me into the woman he created me to be.
Your devotion inspired me to give my prayer and my worries for today to Him.
This is confirmation for me. This morning I was just asking God to give me His spirit of discernment. I often doubt if I'm hearing God or just my thoughts. I'd really like to get to a place where I'm sure of His voice.
~Mimi
[email protected]
I also have a hard time telling if it's God's voice, or me just thinking it is. This is one of my biggest struggles!
I'd love to be included in this book giveaway. I'm reading Made to Crave right now. thanks for the post
ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com
We just made a *huge* move to Texas. I knew it's what God wanted for our family, but I buried my head in the sand not wanting to go. I loved where I lived…had friends…an amazing church. The kids were all doing well. It broke my heart to have to move…but still knew it was what God wanted for our family. Through the decision making process I struggled and continued to seek God and His wisdom. It's only been a few weeks. I'm missing home so much. This post gives me hope that if I continue to seek Him in All things…not just the big things. I will be blessed.
Thanks for your post today.
Missy~
[email protected]
Mi
Sometimes, I do have some thoughts or dreams and not sure if they came from God. But I do believe if we walk close to God, He will show the direction through our environment, bible verses..etc. Step by step following Him is what I need to learn too because sometimes, I jumped too fast by my own way as your said, and did not reach anywhere although I thought God showed me the direction.
Thanks, Maureen Wu