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!
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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
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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.
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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 🙂