Did you ACTUALLY hear from God?
Understanding God’s will in every situation by trying to hear his voice on a yes or no is not what it called for. We won’t know from scripture the exact orange juice to buy, the car to get, or the person we are going to marry.
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This past week we talked about how we can know between the voice of God, and those of the world or of evil.
We get hit with a situation or opportunity and we come to the Lord to seek guidance. We ask that God give us clarity on the situation and we sit and ponder and wait for a definitive answer. Sometimes the Lord DOES speak in gentle whispers and we hear what he says, but sometimes he doesn’t.
Those times that we feel we have heard from the Lord, how do we know that it is the Lord speaking to us?
I believe we must first ask ourselves, WHY do we want to hear the voice of God? For what reason? Maybe instead of asking, God what decision should I make? We should be asking God speak to me so I can know your will and live in the ways you have commanded me.
Most times we picture God's will as a sidewalk. If we fall off the sidewalk or when it comes to a fork in the road, we have to choose right or we are screwed. But instead of this picture, I think we want to think of something like a big backyard that is fenced in. This backyard has everything you would want to enjoy and have fun: a slide, monkey-bars, a sandbox, etc. But this yard also has a pool. In this analogy the pool is sin and God has told us not to touch the pool. Instead of the sidewalk, God tells us we can do anything in the backyard except touch the pool. God says enjoy my creation and do my work, just don't touch the pool. So how do we know we are even in the backyard?
Ways we can test the voices to know we are hearing from God...
- Does it align with scripture? Is what we are hearing or being told align with the will of God?
- Do Godly people around you support the decision you are about to make?
- Are you hearing from God in prayer and in your relationship with him every day?
Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
It is crucial for us as Christs' disciples to be able to discern his voice among the worlds. We must seek the will of God, but sometimes we get it wrong. Our perspective is off. We want yes or no answers way too much.
If we only ask God for yes and no answers of what we should do each day, we have made God a glorified magic 8 ball.
Then what do we do? How do we ask?
We must remember the analogy of the backyard. God may not always tell us clearly which decisions to make. Whether we should go to in n out or canes, whether we should date this person or another, whether we should go to this school or that one, whether we should buy this car or another. These choices may be important and give us hard decisions to make, but God wants us to have the luxury to choose as long as that choice is in the backyard and not the pool. Sometimes there is no "right answer". Sometimes both choices honor God and his will, he just wants us to make a decision and full-heartedly enjoy the opportunities he gives us to walk like Christ.
Big Point: Understanding God’s will in every situation by trying to hear his voice on a yes or no is not what it called for. We won’t know from scripture the exact orange juice to buy, the car to get, or the person we are going to marry.
This blog may not have helped answer all of the questions you maybe have in your life. But I hope it helped change your perspective on God's will and how we know we are hearing from him.
As always, from all of us at AskUsWhy we pray you continue to learn and grow in the faith. We want to be a resource for all believers to be equipped in any stage of life, and to be able to bring the kingdom of God wherever they go.
Peace and blessings!
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