Hearing God's Voice

  God speaks to us. Not always in an audible voice. For some it may never be in an audible voice but He still speaks. It is that still small voice that speaks to my heart. Thoughts and words that are on my heart and mind and I wonder is that really God speaking or is that just my own thoughts.

Lysa TerKeurst in "What Happens When Women Say Yes to God" asks these five questions to determine whether we are hearing from God or not:

1. Does what I am hearing line up with the word of God?
2. Is it consistent with God's character?
3. Is it being confirmed through messages I am hearing at church or studying in my quiet times?
4. Is it beyond me?
5. Would it please God?

God speaks through His written Word. In order to know if what we are hearing lines up with God's word, we need to read His word and know His word.

"And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans 12:2)

As Christians, we want to imitate Christ & have His character in our lives. This verse is a good one to use to see if our thoughts & lives line up with His character.

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering(patient), gentleness, goodness, faith,meekness, temperance(self-control): against such there is no law."(Galatians 5:22)

When God is speaking to me, it seems that everywhere I turn there is something that confirms it. Over the summer God had been speaking to me about certain things regarding our family. Through the summer these thoughts have been confirmed. At camp meeting, there was a sermon that spoke directly to me & confirmed exactly what I had felt God was speaking to me about. I wept as God spoke to me through that message. 

Another way that God speaks to me is through songs and not just songs that I hear. At times I will be working around the house, praying & having different thoughts in my mind & all of a sudden a song comes to my lips, a song that I had not even thought of & then I realize that it is an answer to what I was just praying & thinking about.

One thing I have learned over the years is that you need to slow down in order to hear God's voice and be able to discern His voice from other voices.

In 2009, I felt God speaking to me about needing to slow down but I am a slow learner and I continued with all the things I was involved in and at the time I was a mom to 3 children. I was busy. Two months later, we found out that we were expecting twins. I said "Okay, God, I get it. I need to SLOW DOWN".  I stepped down from Women's Ministries president, Sunday School, storytime and everything else. This was a blessing as I finally listened to what God was trying to teach me. A blessing to focus on my family.

I took a break until the twins were 8 months old. Then I slowly began to get involved again. Now the twins are 3 years old & I am feeling the need to slow down again. I allowed myself to get involved & get too busy. My first ministry is my family and that I what I feel God is speaking to me about now. So once again I have stepped back to focus on my family.

God wants us to live in expectation of hearing from Him.

What has God been speaking to you about?

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