Welcome friends! Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to visit. If you found your way here through my P31 Encouragement for Today devotion, “Living in the Hear and Now,” I’m so glad you stopped by. I hope you’ll stay a while and make yourself comfortable.
One of my deepest desires is to be a woman who listens to God. But, I don’t always get it right. Sometimes I’m not sure if it’s God talking or just me thinking. Ever wondered that?
I also I admit, I’m not always crazy about what I sense God telling me to do. Yet I’ve learned over the years that when I listen to God, I discover His best for me. And I grow in my trust in Him.
I’ve seen again and again that His ways lead to His goodness. And when I follow Him, His mercy follows me.
As I shared in my devotion today, I went through a season of learning how to really listen closely so that I could experience a day by day abiding in God’s presence and plans. I thought I’d been listening to Him all along, but my prayers reflected that I wanted to know where to invest my efforts. In a still small voice God showed me that He wanted my ears more than my efforts.
He was more concerned about character than my calendar. I realized that many times I’d sought God for the larger plans in life, convinced that if I figured out what He wanted me to do I could become the person He created me to be.
Have you ever thought, “If only God would show me what job to take; what man to marry; what church to attend – then my life would be complete and I could serve Him with my whole heart”?
The problem is sometimes we get a glimpse of where He wants us to go and then assume we know how to get there. I’ve made that mistake many times and then wondered why I wasn’t getting anywhere.
Jesus depended on the Father for the large and fine print written in His life plan. He listened closely and obeyed quickly. John 5:19 reflects His absolute dependence: “The Son can do nothing by Himself; he can do only what He sees the Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son does also.”
Like Jesus, we will discover God’s purpose for our lives through dependent hearts that seek to listen to His. We will find out what’s on God’s calendar and part of our calling when we live in the hear and now – listening for His voice and obeying it each day, in every here and now.
Questions to Consider
- Do I read my Bible so that God’s words and ways are familiar to me?
- Do I intentionally listen for God’s voice or do I assume I know what He wants me to do?
- If God were to speak to me, would I recognize His voice?
- Is my mind so full of worries that my thoughts drown out the possibility of hearing God’s thoughts?
Steps to Take
- Take time now to quiet your heart and your thoughts.
- Be still and acknowledge that God is God and you are not.
- Tell God your desire to hear Him today and then ask Him to speak to your heart.
- Share with Him your plans for the day and then ask Him to show you His.
- Give God permission to interrupt your thoughts and agenda and lead you in a different direction if He wants to.
- Get ready for a day filled with adventure and companionship as you walk hand in hand with your Maker.
Verses to Ponder
1 Samuel 3:10, “The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
Psalm 119:16, “I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.
John 14:31, “But the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me.”
Isaiah 55:2-3, “Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare. Give ear and come to me; listen, that you may live….”
Isaiah 50:4, “The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.”
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.
I’m giving a copy away to one of you this week! It’s one of my all time favorite books and it kept me inspired to keep my promise to God that I will live in the hear and now! To enter to win, click on the word “comments’ right below this post and share your thoughts or questions about listening to God. Please include your email so I can find you if you win. I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Anything. Just talk to me…I’m listening :0). I love reading what you have to say!
And be sure to come back tomorrow! I’ll be talking more about listening to God and offering a great free resource to help you discern His voice from your own. If you’re new, I want you to know there’s a place for you here and I’d love for you to join us! You can subscribe to updates via email in my sidebar, link up in the Google Friend Connect box or become a friend on Facebook!
God is so good!! This is my first time visiting your page and it has been a tremendous blessing to me. Not Listening to God is one of my biggest faults. I am so burdened with my own thoughts that I probably can't hear from God. After reading your suggestions I felt the spirit move in me. I am inspired to make a continuous effort to listen to God and not Sandi (me). Thank you for allowing God to use you to help others come closer to God. God Bless!
So many times I just assume I know what God wants me to do, and never really pray about it. Your devotion today helped me to realize that EVERYTHING needs prayer before choices are made.
Rene;
You spoke my life today! For the past few months I have made it a point to be quiet and to listen when God says, "Sit at my feet." Instead of being busy with other activities, I stop and do what He says. Some of my Christian friends think I am battling the enemy (which I find surprising!), but like you said, it is God building my character.
I would rather be who and what He wants me to be than what others believe I should be.
Thanks for your post!
Monica
[email protected]
Renee, you hit the nail on the head. I wonder so often if I'm hearing God or myself. That is so hard for me. I need to quiet my thoughts and try to determine that. I'm anxious to read what you have to say tomorrow. Thanks!
I needed to hear this today! (Haha!) God knew I needed a fellow sister to tell me. I take it is an invitation from Him that He really wants to communicate with me, for me to slow down and make time to just commune with Him. Thank you for sharing what the Lord prompted you to share.
[email protected]
This past year has been a journey of reinventing myself. As George Eliot said, "It's never too late to become the person you might have been". I am an incest survivor and presently in therapy to deal with the issues related to this. I am learning why I became who I was while at the same time learning how to become the person I was meant to be. It is only through a Christian mentor's wise counsel and shoving me along that I finally heeded God's words to me and began the terrifying process of dealing with the past. I now am daily listening for and to God. He is equipping me to write; preparing the path for me to share my story. The hopes and intent of my writing are to encourage others similar to myself by sharing my stories with them through my own journey to wholeness. God alone is the reason for my healing. I long to know God, glorify Him and serve Him throughout the rest of my days. This can only be accomplished by being still and quiet and waiting for His saving knowledge…Nichole
God instructs us to "Be still" and know that He is God. Telling us that sometimes, the chaos of children, families, animals, the dryer, etc. get in the way of our hearing that still, small voice. We should take the time to close our minds to all but Him so that we are in a position to hear him more clearly.
Thank you for sharing what God is speaking to you! I can relate to so much of what you said…like feeling that if I just knew what God wanted me to do with the rest of my life, then maybe I could become all that he has created me to be. But then I'm just looking at the future and the bigger picture, rather than seeing all the small, yet very meaningful things he wants me to do now. He will often remind me to be present in the moment…especially when it concerns spending time with my husband and children. They are my number one ministry! Thank you again for the reminder to listen to God's voice in the "hear and now". Your words are an encouragement!
I just finished a Bible Study on Discerning the Voice of God by Priscella Shirer. I would highly recommend this study for all who want to learn to hear God more closely and be open to hear his voice at all times. We must not only be open to hearing God's voice but be ready to obey him immediately so it will get easier to discern his voice.
One day, I was praying for Ministry direction from the Lord,and after asking I got quiet before Him…
My son who was about 12 at the time ran into his bathroom and his stomach was violently ill.
Well without becoming too graphic, he missed the toilet by a mile.
What a mess he made!
Cleaning the mess was my ministry for that day.
I feel so busy all the time. I work two jobs and have a family and a home. Although I know I can't truly be any more busy than most of my Christian sisters (especially the ones with 4+ kids!!), somehow I like to hold regular pity parties about why my overwhelming schedule puts me farther behind than anyone else. I find myself thinking, "When I get done with this time-consuming project, I'll take more time to be with the Lord." In reality, I know this project will just be replaced by something else, and I'll continue to make excuses not to spend more time reading the Bible, praying, and listening to God. I need to learn how to listen through the busy. I'm looking forward to reading more from you on this.
[email protected]
Thank you Renee, when I was reading this I was just weeping. I felt you were speaking directly to me. I have been waiting on God to show me the "great" plans that He has for me but what I really need to do is to be quiet and listen. What is most important is the here and now. When I first came to your webpage I read the verse you had at the top – "If you search for me with all your heart, you will find me" Jeremiah 29:13. That verse I recieved on New Years Eve of the this year as Gods verse to me. God is AWESOME!! Thank you for al you do.
Great post. I'd love to win the book
My Grandpa always said that God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. We are to listen twice as much-I know I talk more at God rather than really truely listening to him. I want to hear his voice better-his is the ONLY one to listen to!
My Grandpa always said that God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason. We are to listen twice as much as we talk. Often times, I find myself talking at God rather than really, truely, listening. Hoping today I can learn to listen, because his voice really, truely, is the ONLY one to listen to!
I want to say "Yes" to God so badly but find that my stubborn attitude often gets in the way. I pray that I want to say "Yes" and then when I hear his voice asking me to do something that is self-sacrificing – I find that I dig my heels in more often than I care to admit! I would love to read this book!
Thank you for addressing a huge concern I have in my life. I'm constantly struggeling to hear the Father's voice and get unsure wether it's him or my own selfish desires or worries I think I'm hearing..thank you for going there! I look forward to your additional posts 🙂
I had to smile when I received this devotion this morning because it was just yesterday morning on my way to work that I was having this conversation with God. What is my purpose? What do You want me to do? What do You want for my life and where do You want me to go. I am here, ready and willing to do what You want but I need to hear, know and understand when it is You speaking Father. Of course I found myself wanting to have the same conversation again with God this morning, and then this devotion. Renee, thank you so much for these words of encouragement. I will surely follow the steps you have given and let you know the outcome because I just love to show off about my Father. God bless you.
I struggle with knowing if it is God speaking or is it my own thoughts. I never feel certain and am filled with doubts.
dora
Sometimes when we listen for God to instruct us with this booming Hollywood type voice but He says "Be still and know that I am God". I am learning and making myself "be still" so I can hear. Sometimes it is through God's people, in His word, Prov 31 ministries, etc. but I have to stop so I can see and hear what He has for me.
I loved your devotional today, it really spoke to me, and made me smile. So many times I pray for God to answer me, to give me a word, to please let me hear from him. And many times, what I hear is a"clean the closet" kind of answer…..I am looking for a burning bush, thunder and lightning kind of response, and God is looking for an obediant heart. Thank you for sharing, your words offered me encouragement and hope on a dreary day.
This has been my cry to hear God. I wonder at times does God hear me? Is he listening to me? What am I doing wrong? I want to hear from God just like others say they have. I need your prayers to agree with me that I will continue to pursue God until I hear from him. Will you send me that book? I would surely treasure it. It will help me in my journey. Thanks Renee I surely identify with your devotional today. God is using this devotional to call me to him and I thank him for waking me up. Have a blessed day.
AnnMarie
[email protected]
Such a hard thing, to listen to God. I get so busy oding what's on the agenda for the day or week that His voice is drowned out. Lord, help me hear you, for real!
I recently had a miscarriage and now I want to go do some part-time work (for Christmas) and possibly go back and take some classes in January. I don't know if this is me wanting to get out of the house or if God is pushing me to do something different. It would really challenge my schedule so I am trying to be careful before jumping in. I am feeling a little nervous about making any decision at all.
I do listen to God but I feel like I am only really hearing about half of what he is telling me. Sort of how I listen to my kids. And I don't sense any direction for the future.
I think God is easier to hear than we think, if we would just pay attention to those inner urgings. Much to my surprise, God's answer to me about attending a Bible study this year was "no". The Bible study is excellent, but the timing for our family's schedule is BAD! I expected His answer to be Yes, and had a hard time hearing "no", until I said it out loud and felt His favor on it.
Just my simple thoughts…!
Maureen D.
I am 46 years old and after reading the worn out woman, I have learned that I am a perfectionist and I have spent most of my life "working" and "doing" so that I would be liked or loved for the fear of rejection. I am worn out from this lifestyle and I don't want to do it any more. The problem is that I have been doing it for so long, that I don't even know who I am or how to be me. You're devotion today really helped me and is a good starting point. Thank you!
your words inspired me today. I am always asking what do you want me to do Lord??? I have learned to be still at times. I am getting better. I read His word. Being older I cannot memorize so I decided I need to read the Bible more often. Thank you for your encouragement
Sharon
Your thoughts today made me stop & listen. I'm a working mom with 3 busy girls – a teen, preteen & a "wanna be" teen girl. Our schedule can get crazy sometimes. I pride myself on keeping the schedule organized. I need to make the time to stop and listen and hear what God is telling me. Thanks for the reminder today.
This was so timely for me today. I have been feeling very less-than-average lately. I realize it's Satan telling me that I am "not a very good Mommy, can't even keep a house clean, not succeeding in my small business, can't find the time for God so why bother"…but some days I feel like I am stronger to thwart those thoughts than others. Thanks for this reminder to be strong in the Lord and through Him I will be able to do the assignments he has given me!
Right now – I don't feel capable of hearing God at all. I want to – and certainly need to, but am struggling so much. Thank you for your post today – such great suggestions – I can't wait to try them as soon as I get off work!
Listening to God sounds so beautiful and comforting. I tend to over-think this and worry if I'm really hearing God or just what I 'think' he's saying. We really just need to read his word and listen, but sometimes we want a step-by-step instruction manual so we can know for sure we're doing things right. God just doesn't work that way, he works with our heart and soul. [email protected]
I am a control freak and want to take care of everything. I have been working on giving it all to God and let him tell me what I need to do instead of me doing what I think is right. I know when I stop and let God talk to me things always work out and I'm not stressed trying to figure out what to do. I pray this morning that I can just be still and listen to what God has in store for me.
As a ministry that I am involved with is about to expand, "noise" from the devil is increasing to a crescendo. Thank you for the encouragement and practical tips for tuning our ears to hear God – in ALL matters.
Thank you for this reminder to listen more. Sometimes I get so bogged down with life and the busyness of a job, kids, husband, and a house that I forget to just listen. I'm working more on that and have made a resolution to start doing more listening. It's not easy though!
I really enjoyed your devotional today. This is something I'm struggling with daily. I wonder if my plans are really in line with His. I've been praying about it, but worry I'm just not listening hard enough to hear His response.
[email protected]
I can definately relate to listening to and discerning the voice of God. A couple of months ago, just after being introduced to a man (whom I haven't seen since), God very clearly told me I'd just met my husband! After wrestling with this for a while (I still have my moments), wondering if it really was God, I've started to recognize the "small" prompts He gives me through the day. For now, I believe that's my assignment–to listen daily in the small things so I can be faithful in the big things. It's definately not easy to listen for/to the voice of God every time! I completely belive, though, that He IS faithful and has our best interests in mind. He will provide!
Thank you for writing on this. It isn't easy, espcially with people who don't have a very strong faith, to tell that you've heard God speak. The more I tell, the easier it gets. It is so comforting to hear of others that hear His voice, too…even in the little things.
Blessings on your day!
I am 46 years old and after reading the worn out woman, I have learned that I am a perfectionist and I have spent most of my life "working" and "doing" so that I would be liked or loved for the fear of rejection. I am worn out from this lifestyle and I don't want to do it any more. The problem is that I have been doing it for so long, that I don't even know who I am or how to be me. You're devotion today really helped me and is a good starting point. Thank you!
[email protected] said…I find that I have a "gut" feeling when I am being prompted by the Holy Spirit….most times I listen, and other times not. I can look behind me down the road and "see" God's work in my life in retrospect. I can also "see" the times I chose to do it my way and not listen.
Each time my faith wavers, I look back in my life and witness all of Gods grace, love and miracles in my life.
I find that I have a "gut" feeling when I am being prompted by the Holy Spirit….most times I listen, and other times not. I can look behind me down the road and "see" God's work in my life in retrospect. I can also "see" the times I chose to do it my way and not listen.
Each time my faith wavers, I look back in my life and witness all of Gods grace, love and miracles in my life.
As I've spent more time in God's Word and memorizing scripture verses, it's helped me tremendously to recognize and discern His thoughts verses my own thoughts.
Love your post & love you!!!
Leah 🙂
Hi! I am from Lake Charles, LA and you spoke at my church this past weekend,Trinity Baptist Church. Unfortunately, I had to be out of town and missed you. I am sure you were a blessing to our sweet ladies. I do not always get to read your daily devotionals, but today I did and I do not believe it was an accident. My husband & I have a big decision to make today, and I really need to be still and listen to God's voice and not assume what I think he wants us to do. Thanks for the reminder to continuously stop and listen to God throughout our day.
I often wonder if I am hearing God speaking, or if I am just hearing the echoes of my past bouncing off the walls that hold my hopes for the future. Recently, God has been blessing me by helping me to see and HEAR that it is much easier for me to distinguish His voice from my own when I am spend more time in His word.
Wow, this is something God has been showing me in the last ten days or so. On Friday, it enabled me to put away my to-do list and spend hours in prayer for our family, especially our oldest daughter. About 2:00 pm, I felt released from praying and felt like a battle had been won on her behalf. Today I still don't know what the specific battle was, but I am thankful I had the listening ears to spend time in prayer instead of cleaning the house. I want to be more receptive to what He is telling me!
For me, I truly want to be a women after Gods own heart. He has changed me by far in my day to day basis. I do notice myself jumping ahead of Gods plans, but later come to find out, it's not about me, its about him. I am looking to encourage myself daily so I can encourage other women around me as well. I am working on Taming my toungue. Theres soo much to say, but i do want a copy of the book. you can email me at [email protected] Thank you for reading! God bless, and May God enrich your ministry. -Katie
As a busy homeschooling mom of 3 boys and wife of 21 years, I struggle to find those quiet moments to just listen. It's usually a ride to the library ALONE or a jog around the block that helps to clear the way to hear His still, small voice that speaks peace and comfort to my busy days.
I loved what you said in your prayer in the devotional, "Sometimes I fall into the trap of waiting for a better tomorrow or an easier assignment so that I can be faithful." Oh, I find myself there many times, but I pray I will be faithful in the day to day things – things like homeschooling my boys and teaching them how to be future leaders in whatever sphere of influence the Lord has in store (families, ministries, etc.) and supporting, encouraging, and loving my husband as he walks the path God has for him.
Too overwhelming for a girl like me, but with my Savior by my side I will be faithful to this call.
Thanks for reminding me about the "little things" that we are to be faithful to…and listening to God "in the now" instead of waiting for some enormous "sign' to fall out of heaven and tell us to do "some great thing"….We miss so much by not living in the now…and being faithful with the little things…
I would love to know that I am hear God day by day…So often I stumble around…and feel He has abandoned me to my own wisdom…yet in my head I know that can't be true…
I want to trust that He is willing to speak if I am willing to listen…
I find that God can and does speak to me in many ways. After I have prayed for guidance, I might receive a devotional e-mail that addresses the very topic I've prayed about. By staying in His word and daily reading devotions, like Proverbs 31, I hear God speak to me. He will also use Christian sisters to speak a word. And, yes, I also struggle with knowing at times if it's something I want or what God wants. That is the time I go into prayer and ask for prayer. When I receive God's peace over a situation, even if He is quiet, I know He has spoken.
What a great subject! This is a daily struggle for me, and I guess for many women. We are part of a society that moves so fast, has all the answers and juggles multiple facets of our lives. We are busy! We have places to go and schedules to follow! So many times He has revealed to me that I need to be still and listen. Stop doing and hear Him. Because it's in the busyness of this world that His voice gets dimmer if we allow it. We need to remain in Him to allow Him to work in and through us – one day at a time. He will reveal what we need to know when we need to know it. I guess that's part of walking in faith. I know it's a work-in-progress for this woman! 🙂
Christine
[email protected]
I want a better understanding of when is God really talking to me? How do I learn to really HEAR him. People always say things like "I heard the Holy Spirit say this or that. Or God told me to do this or that. I don't really know if I have EVER HEARD Him speak to me, and I want to HEAR!!! [email protected]
It never fails! Almost every day the Proverbs 31 devotional is meant for my own heart, and today was no different. My prayer journal is full of requests for God to tell me what to do, but very few of the days have me telling Him I am listening. I have to work to be a good listener, and not just to Him! I praise Him for His immeasurable grace!