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Bridgit
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I guess it depends on many different things like your conviction, your faith, your knowledge of God's will in that particular situation, your strength,...
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Discernment
- Thread starter FlatpickingJD
- Start date
I guess it depends on many different things like your conviction, your faith, your knowledge of God's will in that particular situation, your strength,...
Thank you for your advice people, I truly appreciate it. It's good to know what others do, and how others find His voice.
I'll try to take this in the spirit intended, and not how it comes across. You think I don't know what following God costs? You think I don't understand the cost of discipleship? You want to know what listening to God's call has cost me? I'll tell you 2 quick ways: I lost a woman I loved, and I have an incredibly strained relationship with my father. In the first instance, God told me to follow a particular path, and she was not able to go with me. With my father, he's not a Christian and is not real happy that I am to say the least. So talk if you will about not being able to hear His voice, but I heard it loud and clear and am doing my best to live my life as He wants me to, as I've been called to.
I'll only say to this that if discernment was so easy, it wouldn't be the most valued of spirtual gifts, and there wouldn't be as many people struggling with it. How many articles are written in church bulletins and websites about it? Or, for that matter, how many books? Several very good Christians, people I know have a far better relationship with Jesus than I do, have said here they have difficulty with it. If it were so simple, then these people wouldn't have that difficulty.
It also seems that you feel that any inability to discern God's will is willful and because we're prideful. I suspect it's because we're not blessed with that gift.
All that said, I apologize for my answer and I do appreciate your input. Thank you for taking the time to respond.
I'll try to take this in the spirit intended, and not how it comes across. You think I don't know what following God costs? You think I don't understand the cost of discipleship? You want to know what listening to God's call has cost me? I'll tell you 2 quick ways: I lost a woman I loved, and I have an incredibly strained relationship with my father. In the first instance, God told me to follow a particular path, and she was not able to go with me. With my father, he's not a Christian and is not real happy that I am to say the least. So talk if you will about not being able to hear His voice, but I heard it loud and clear and am doing my best to live my life as He wants me to, as I've been called to.
I'll only say to this that if discernment was so easy, it wouldn't be the most valued of spirtual gifts, and there wouldn't be as many people struggling with it. How many articles are written in church bulletins and websites about it? Or, for that matter, how many books? Several very good Christians, people I know have a far better relationship with Jesus than I do, have said here they have difficulty with it. If it were so simple, then these people wouldn't have that difficulty.
It also seems that you feel that any inability to discern God's will is willful and because we're prideful. I suspect it's because we're not blessed with that gift.
All that said, I apologize for my answer and I do appreciate your input. Thank you for taking the time to respond.
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JohnDB
Regular Member
You are correct...and I think you are beginning to answer your own question...You have all the correct points there as well as questions.
Many Christians do have trouble with hearing God's voice but it isn't for a lack of God speaking to them.
I personally believe (because I have been guilty so very often) many people don't hear it because they don't want to hear what He is saying or by simply ignoring it.
But the value is always there...He may not say what I am wanting to hear but He is saying it all along.
The main point that I am trying to make is you are correct; being a Christian today is quite expensive. It costs us in relationships with friends and sometimes family members and doing some of the things that we would like to do while making us do things that we really don't want to do.
The ability to hear what God is saying though is especially coveted. But for special gifts like this it takes an even higher price than what most Christians are willing to give. In short, our own pride usually stands in the way. I know that mine does often. I usually don't want to hear what He is saying and refuse to listen any more. I get mad at Him...frustrated to no end with His Children or have some other kind of stupidity running rampant through my brain.
But God is good...He is always kind, always loving, and always there waiting on me to get over my fits and return.
If you like here is some scripture backup...
(I like the Greek here better...the "give" is more of something that is granted like postion or authority)
Lk 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
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C
country woman
Guest
I sometimes have trouble hearing God' voice cause I tend to talk when I am supposed to listen. I trust the Lord with everything
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Did you and your BIL reach any conclusions? Have any more insight you'd like to share?
Hint, hint . . .
Hint, hint . . .
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ido
Adios
We talked about a situation that has happened recently with him. He has been tossing an idea around in his head for several months - he'll pray over it, then set it aside, then come back to it again, etc. He said last week he was praying over it and he had 3 things happen all in a row - completely random and completely unrelated - that he felt were opportunities pointing him in a specific direction with the idea.
He also said he's been trying to get better about listening when he prays. We discussed the battle between the thoughts we have when we pray over something - and how to try and discern which is our voice and which is God's. I told him that I pray that if it is God's will, that He will open the doors that I need opened. If it is my will, that God will put stumbling blocks in place to prevent whatever it is from happening.
We talked about our "gut instinct" really being God's voice. When we feel uneasy about something, it's God's way of steering us away from it. When we feel good about something, it's God's way of guiding us towards it.
I don't know if that really says anything different than what has already been said in this thread - but that was the gist of the conversation.
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Congratulations on becoming a pastor, I'm really happy for you! How much longer will you be preparing or are you done yet? I should have realized that everyone's approach would be different, but thought I was just missing something. I suspect that there's also a difference of knowing that you're in line with the Spirit and being nervous about it, and not feeling right about it. Those two things often go hand in hand for me (being nervous and not feeling right). I think that combination is what's been troubling me.
Here's some news: I took Jenster's advice and a little of fng's too. Amazing, I know, I actually listened to some people!
I started paying attention to my gut, and realized that what I thought I was being called to do didn't in the least feel right, so I've backed off a bit on it (one aspect of it at least). I feel a little more at peace about the whole thing as a result. Some confusion yet, but more at peace.As for the stumbling blocks, until this very minute, I'd never really thought about it. I moved last year for a job that I thought would put me in the right place to pursue what I thought I was being called to do. Since I'm not there anymore, and everything I experienced told me to leave as quickly as I'd arrived, I guess you could say that was a stumbling block.
I also told a friend of mine, the one whose husband is a non-believer as mentioned elsewhere, about my conversion experience and the rest and told her what I was going through. I do trust her as a sister in the Lord, and asked her for her thoughts and prayers as Jenster suggested. Her response, after a couple of days was "are you KIDDING ME?"
Well, you'd have to know her to understand why that's funny. It's just so her.
Sometimes it's nice to have good friends who aren't afraid to share their wisdom with you.
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kelco
Rev. Kelco
Congratulations on becoming a pastor, I'm really happy for you! How much longer will you be preparing or are you done yet? I should have realized that everyone's approach would be different, but thought I was just missing something. I suspect that there's also a difference of knowing that you're in line with the Spirit and being nervous about it, and not feeling right about it. Those two things often go hand in hand for me (being nervous and not feeling right). I think that combination is what's been troubling me.
Here's some news: I took Jenster's advice and a little of fng's too. Amazing, I know, I actually listened to some people!
As for the stumbling blocks, until this very minute, I'd never really thought about it. I moved last year for a job that I thought would put me in the right place to pursue what I thought I was being called to do. Since I'm not there anymore, and everything I experienced told me to leave as quickly as I'd arrived, I guess you could say that was a stumbling block.
I also told a friend of mine, the one whose husband is a non-believer as mentioned elsewhere, about my conversion experience and the rest and told her what I was going through. I do trust her as a sister in the Lord, and asked her for her thoughts and prayers as Jenster suggested. Her response, after a couple of days was "are you KIDDING ME?"
Well, you'd have to know her to understand why that's funny. It's just so her.
Sometimes it's nice to have good friends who aren't afraid to share their wisdom with you.
I still have about a year before I will be licensed. And I am soooooo looking forward to it!
Sometimes I'm still nervous about things, but some really good things make me nervous, such as preaching. I've talked to some of the "pro's" that I know and they say that they are still nervous and when they aren't it's time to quit. That kind of nervous is ok, but when you are nervous and have a bad feeling about something then yes I think you need to draw back and take stock and reconsider.
Sometimes discernment also takes the form of wrong paths. You went down a wrong path and found out that it was wrong. It dosn't mean that all of your calling isn't valid, just the particular path you went down to pursue it isn't the right one.
Someone that I love and trust very much told me when I started out on my journey was if this is what God is calling you to do you will do it despite yourself.
And yeah you have to know him too to see why it's funny.Just keep on praying, listening and taking that next step on faith. Believe me even with wrong turns and taking the scenic route occasionally you will enjoy your journey!!!!!
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J
Jenster
Guest
Here's some news: I took Jenster's advice and a little of fng's too. Amazing, I know, I actually listened to some people!
Glad to hear you felt some peace and received some feedback from a sister in the Lord, FJD. I especially love the "peace" part of following God.
We are fond of talking about "God's mysterious ways" but he really does have our backs. "Be anxious over nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
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ido
Adios
That's one of my favorite verses!
Glad to hear you felt some peace and received some feedback from a sister in the Lord, FJD. I especially love the "peace" part of following God.
We are fond of talking about "God's mysterious ways" but he really does have our backs. "Be anxious over nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
p.s. I
too when I read you took our advice, JD!
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You know, if I listened to you all enough, I might not be in this section much longer, I might just find someone who'd want to marry me.
Wait, what?
Jenster said:Glad to hear you felt some peace and received some feedback from a sister in the Lord, FJD. I especially love the "peace" part of following God.
We are fond of talking about "God's mysterious ways" but he really does have our backs. "Be anxious over nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
I'll second that amen.
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