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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Renee,
I lost my job this past year and have gone back to doing nursing and am seriously thinking about getting my BSN for nursing. I have really felt God leading me when I let him and listen to him and your daily emails have really given me direction and support and I thank you for that. I do have a nursing job and it seems to be working out better each day with God leading the way. Thanks so much. Doreen
I am going through a difficult time with my 23 year old son. He has taken so many wrong paths. I have prayed and prayed and I just don't see God answering or giving my son guidance. I know Satan has a very strong hold on my son I just pray that my son finds God. He knows the Bible has a wonderful heart but he chooses flesh over God. I know in my heart God has a plan for my son. His Father and I are divorced and I have a wonderful and supportive husband now and I thank God everyday for him. I am a mother that just begs for peace for my son. He has had many addictions and continues with the drinking I just pray that one day he will hate the taste of alochol and be able to help others with the same issues. I have begged God daily for years to help I know he is there I just want my son and I to hear from him.
I don't always know when God is speaking to me and I would love to know. I would love to hear that I am on the right path as my days have been crazy with a recent separation and pending divorce from my abusive husband.
This is the first time I have commented on a blog and the first time reading this blog. I found you through Encouragement Today at Proverbs 31.
Wanting and needing to hear his word.
Thanks, Renee. I don't have time to read everyone's blogs, but I felt the need to click over and read yours after that wonderful P31 message today. I like the questions you posted and they will be very helpful. I'd like to add that when God is talking to me, I seem to feel it in my gut. If I ignore him, I will usually read, hear, or see something a second or third time sometimes in the same day or over a few weeks or more. Instinctually, I just know it's Him when this happens. After your post, I followed your application steps. I went into my quiet time and awakened refreshed 3 hours later. I have my quiet time every day and stay awake and today I crashed for hours. I obviously needed the rest and He thought so, too. What a refreshing sleep, too! Now, back to your application steps…
Renee, you hit the nail on the head. As a first born daughter, I desire order, having the answers, planning, organizing, etc. I often have difficulty discerning that still small voice. I also sometimes catch myself thinking that God maybe has forgotten my struggles with spiritual, emotional and financial needs and that other people's needs are more important to Him. I am on a journey to read the New Testament in 2011. but I have trouble remembering what I've read and identifying the truths I can apply to my life. I am begging God as the song says, "Word of God Speak."
Thank you for your "realness" and for sharing and encouraging me.
This is exactly what I needed today. I have started my own business and am trying very hard to listen to where the Lord is leading me and my family. My husbands job is not going as well as before and we are both trying to listen to God and where he is leading us! Thank you for reminding me to really listen to Him.
Great devotional! I certainly want to hear Gods' voice!
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One current struggle is that I thought I had a clear path of where my dear Father wanted me to go with regards to my health treatment. I was so "sure" He wanted me to choose a particular path. However, months later it is failing and I'm a bit perplexed, fearful, ill yet again, and near crushed. I now wonder if it really was Him I was listening to. How would I know? Because it worked? Failed? Was it really Him, or was it my desire clouding my discernment? Does He send us down a failing path as part of a lesson or for our personal growth? I desperately want to be healthy, but the doctor's path is so riddled with dangers… and I don't have much time to make the decision.
I'm confused again about how He communicates with me personally. I went to His Word and, of course, found very gloomy verses ~ LOL ~ taking them personally, of course.
I would love to know what the author's wisdom on discerning the voice of our Daddy is in this book.
Please enter me in the giveaway.
Blessings to all who struggle!
Katherinej
vikingjob at yahoo dot com
I loved reading that you too sometimes think you know what God wants. I have gotten somewhat complacent and don't stop to listen when God is talking to me. I have often said if you don't listen to God speaking to you, he may turn down the volume. I am currently in the best place I have ever been in my life, but my intimate relationship with God feels distant. I needed to hear what you had to say today. Thank you.
Michelle-GJ Colorado
All too often I try to deal with things in my life without taking it to God first. I always think I have the answers that that I can handle anything. Deep down I know life is so much easier if God is the center of it. I have often struggled with knowing whether I hear God talking to me, or if it's my own thoughts, conscience, etc. I want to say yes to God, to develop a deeper relationship with Him and to allow Him to lead my life! The Proverbs 31 devotions are always so enlightening and are usually very appropriate to things going on in my life.
It's me Debbie again. I don't know too much about this software so I am not sure if I correctly entered your contest. I suppose I should leave an account. I hope I did this right.
It's been awhile since I've read my Encouragement for Today daily devotionals. I normally read two other devotionals on a regular basis and stop there. Today, however, I felt lead to read Encouragement. I'm so thankful that I did.
I've been battling scattered thoughts during prayer, readint, sleeping for years and believed I had no control over them. I have hope now after readng P31 January 18, 2011 devotional, "How Do I Know If It's GOD Speaking To Me." I totally relate to everything that is mentioned about staing focused and confusing my thoughts for GODs' or praying for His intervention over a matter and then taking over only to find myself in a worse predicament.
I can't wait to read the remainder of the devotional and to get a copy of Lysa Terkeurst book, "When Women say YES to GOD". I desire to be a woman after GODs heart and to have the same mind a CHRIST when He said, "The Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees the His Father doing, because whater the Father does the Son does also. (Jn 5:19). That's the attitude and obedience I desire.
GOD BLESS YOUR P31 MINISTRY, YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
In His Name,
Debra B.
I too have a hard time figuring out whether God is speaking or me thinking what I want. Most often it is because I am in a hurry for an answer.
This is my first time ever seeing anything like this. I happen to come across this in a pivotal time in my life. It is a very long story. But I really would like your book. I want to be the mother and wife God wants me to be. But I believe my own thoughts interfere with God's voice. I am on the verge of a divorce, although I know that is not in God's will. I am confused. Neither I nor my husband have been the best parents. As a matter of fact we are in a homeless shelter and our children are with my aunt. We have both since been babtized at a church we now attend. We have also become members of this church. I continually seek the will of God for fear of anymore damage to my family. I don't want to make any wrong decisions and don't trust my own discernment seeing where it has gotten me. I know that God can help me and I know He has already. All morning I have been seeking His counsel. Then I came across your e-mail and your giveaway. Please consider me for your book but if not maybe you can direct me to some resouces. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Debbie
Every morning I asked God to quiet my mind, so that I can hear him speak. I ask him to guide my thoughts and actions through out the day. I often wonder as you've stated is it him or me. I think when it's him it comes out of no where, without any thought of my own on the subject. I've learned that I need to be obedient and if he places a word or thought on my heart I need to trust that is what he want's me to say or do. May your ministry recieve many Blessings, Lola
Thank you for the encouragement today. I will check back on friday to read more.
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I've been learning that when I hear from God and act on it, I'll never be disappointed…it's a win- win!!! Amy ([email protected])
Thank You very much for this word it was very timely for me as well. In my much younger days before I was bombarded by the demands of being an "adult" I could hear the father's voice with unfaltering clarity but in my haste to grow up and be more responsible hearing the fathers voice became a second, sometimes third priority to all of the other “adult responsibilities” I had enlisted for: such as becoming a new bride, being a non-traditional college student, a store manager, a mom etc..
With all my newfound responsibilities My fathers’ voice started to become clouded out his voice, the peace, the clarity and the wisdom that seemed to appear almost magically out of nowhere especially when I needed it most.
It was so second nature that I EXPECTED to have clarity, wisdom and peace about all of the important life decisions that I felt I needed to make happen so when I started to lose them I didn’t find fault with myself.
I found fault with the father and began to question him about why my life was not like he promised or liked his word promised and liked all good parents he ever so gently reminded me that he left all of the decisions up to me because I told him that I didn’t need him for this decision or for that decision.
So like all parents he moved out of the way and began to wait for the day and time that I would need his help again!! And if you’re a parent then you know that it was soon than rather than later.
From reading all the other comments I am glad to hear that I am not the only one to struggle with discerning God's will in my life! This is my first time reading this blog and it's very encouraging to find that we all have the same struggles. I think that having a HUNGER to listen to God's will is important and I am certainly in prayer for everyone else and for myself for following this desire to do God's will. I trust that He will let it be known to us, as He prevails above all.
In our modern, high-tech world nowadays, God should just get an email account and send us an email DETAILING what we are supposed to do. LOL!!
I know God is speaking when i hear a versr of encouragement and I hear it three or more times from different sources in the same day or week.