Hearing God's Voice in the Counsel of Others

I struggle with discerning when my wife is giving Godly council when she does not sound Godly, but selfish when she tells me she will not go to visit a church I want to go to. She does not want to and \"will not go\"! I do not believe in telling God that I will not do something. I may say I do not choose to do something, but I am willing if it is your will. There are many times that I really need her council but do not know if I can trust it because she makes such snap decisions that sound so contrary to Godly council without any prayer or thought.

Throughout history, Christians have struggled with discerning God's word in the world. It is clear that sometimes God calls me to mundane and trivial tasks. Other times God's call is to do the extraordinary. It is hard some days to get out of my own way to be able to hear Him. For me the answer is one that I have been taught from my youth. We must begin with Scripture and illuminate those words through the understanding that comes from the traditions of the church. In other words, saints have gone before us, and we must use their wise counsel to help guide us in understanding Scripture. The other source that we should trust is the marvelous brains that God provided each of us. Human knowledge and understanding are valuable gifts from God. And finally we must be open to the moving of God's spirit within us now. Perhaps that gets to the question that was posed. My idea is that when God seems silent, perhaps we need to hone our listening skills. In our Western civilization, we mostly have lost the discipline of meditation. We have such active lives with so many things intruding. Is it really a surprise that we struggle to hear God through the cacophony that is an average day? When I have anchored my life with those four principles: scripture, tradition, knowledge, and inspiration, occasionally I still find Silence. I know even then that God is with me. Some days He wants me to go forward. Someday His Silence may be a gift. As I go forth, I will find success and failure. God is with me in both. That for me is the Gospel.

I am sure we have all felt forgotten by God as we struggled with inportant decisions, but it is in those times I grew closest to Him as I tried harder to hear from Him. I limited distractions by getting alone, listened for His voice more than asking for answers, and set about \"doing\" more than waiting. This approach came from reading Isiah 30:21. \"Whether you turn to the right or the left you will hear a voice behind you saying, This is the way, walk in it.\" If God is behind me, I cannot see Him, but He can see my heart. If it is His will I am seeking all I need to do is act on it. I need to act on my faith that He will direct my paths, as He says He will in theWord. Too often we suffer from the paralysis of analysis over which road to take. Just give it your best and pray that it's blessed... and GO!

Michael Hearing God's Voice in the Counsel of Others..is right on target... often we tune out others thinking the Lord would not be using THEM!...to speak to ME!.. but remember balms ass... the Lord will use any means to gets us to hear HIM speak.... He loves us so much....if we stay humble, our hearing improves...

Michael, I wanted to share with you (and the other bloggers) something real neat. I was just talking with my 10 year old son last night about this very thing and we were reading Proverbs 1! He asked the question about how do you hear God and some of the same things you mentioned we discussed. When I left from his room I was not real sure that I had given him wise counsel, however after this morning's e-mail I see God confirmed, through you, what he and I were discussing. Although your e-mails are directed towards business, God's principles are true whenever or where ever in life you apply them. As has been said, He is no respecter of persons and I believe that He is also no respecter of circumstances. He is God regardless and truth is truth. Eleutheros Ontos!

I appreciate your comments on the days that we find ourselves living in. I watch the news and find it amazing how the worlds attention is on Isreal! Makes no dirrerence you position- Pre-trib, Post- Trib, or something in the middle. Our eyes need to be looking toward the eastern skies and our hearts must be focused on serving our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Your statement, \"I believe the days are soon upon us when knowing God%u2019s will and discerning His voice will be a matter of survival for some and not just a luxury for our enjoyment.\", rang true and strong to me. This world growing more and more deceptive and aggressive. Not that we should fear, for His is the victory and I am in him. Yet, if we do not prepare during the quiet times, learning to discern our fathers voice, how we ever be able to hear Him when the enemy is roaring around us.

Michael, Thank you for bringing this up. I too stand up and listen when my wife speaks wisdom. I have total trust in her because she has studied the Word for 13 years (like I have), we have been under similar teaching (years of Bible Study Fellowship) and we believe that the Holy Spirit NEVER is out of unity. The same Spirit is in us both and will not direct us to contrary teaching. Last, all counsel must align perfectly with the written word, if it doesn't it is not of the Holy Spirit. A few other thoughts, the word of Lord through sound Biblical counsel will always 1) Glorify God 2) in aligment with Jesus's words to fulfull the two commandments that summerize all of scripture, to love the Lord with all your heart and to love you neighbor as your self 3) Must fit into the traits of the Holy Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit outlined in Galatians 5:22 4) Must reflect the definition of love outlined in 1 Corinthians 13 5) Fit the model of wisdom outlined in James 3:13-18, James 3:13Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15Such \"wisdom\" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. Arnie

God will speak to you witha still small voice and he will order your steps. Clarity comes from consecration to God and fasting. God is a rewarder of those that dilligently seek him...so pray and ask to hear him. I have learned in ministry that God's voice will never contradict His Word...Your Brother In Jesus...Robert