Listening to God -- how do you knnow?

[LVV]

Hello friends,

I've been struggling in my prayer life the last several months....desperately trying to turn away from a life of being a bad person, and now living in His Word.....trying to hand things over to Him....

I've read a lot about prayer....and for most of my life, my prayer has probably been a one way communication.....I'm trying to learn to listen to God....to read his Word and meditate on it and see how it teaches me at that time.....

What is confusing me is the "listening part".....example....I pray "Thank you Lord for all you have done for me and I know you will deliver me from my sins and temptataions....and bring healing....and thank you in advance Lord for giving the Holy Spirit to the one I have wronged on earth, John, and I thank you in advance for restoring and reconciling and reuniting us in Your time"......or something similar with some other need or thanks....

When I pray like that, often times something will pop into my head when I'm praying like "yes, it will be just continue to be faithful in prayer"....or "be strong and trust in me"......or I'll feel chills or goosebumps......other times when I pray and I reflect back on some of those timies and question my motives in the prayers -- whether it is right or wrong motive, or truly penitent heart, or the depth of the faith I'm prayinig about, I don't hear those things in my mind.....don't feel the chlls and feel guilty!

Is that God talking to me and answering me? How do you "shut off" your brain and listen and hear......are those things I'm hearing just my earthly desires and my pschye playingn games with me to make me feel better? Is even asking that question a slap in the face to my faith?

How do you listen....how do you hear......how do you really just hand it over to Him and be confident in what you "hear" and trust it unconditionally in faith?

Thanks,

LVV

[grandpa]

:angel: Dearest LVV: Grandpa Here. You are not alone. Countless Christians across time have had the same thoughts and questions. Personally, I have never had a physical Heavenly vision. Some psople would have you believe that God shows up in a 50 foot Limo, Gets out in a Tux and Top Hat and presents Himself. Do you believe this??
Many people struggle with prayer lifelong. As we try to be encouragers, We Say, God always hears. Prayers do not bounce off the overhead. Many people do not have chills or emotional experiences. People like this may feel that they are "Not Getting Through" because they do not have these stirring sensations. You are getting through and always have.

As I read the last part of your Post, I really think that you are looking for some great emotional sensations. That is not really "Faith" as I see it. "Faith" is just believing God for the words that we read in the Bible. For many years, I doubted my own salvation just because I never had one of those great crying jags that I had seen other people have. I have never had one and probally never will. Basically I am a pretty unemotional person, unless I see someone geting hurt that cannot help themselves. Then I can get pretty upset.

In a treatise to another person Mizz Ann made the point that this persons situation did not happen overnight or something to that effect. As you are growing in Grace, Give it time. Give the Lord time to bless you and heal you. Just take things one day at a time. Do you have a loving Church Family that you can lean on? If not--Hunt one. Pray-Pray. Read your Bible. Do a bit of volunteer work. Help some people who are 'Really' down and out. Keep your head up. Get on with life. There are great things out there. Look for them. Quit feeling sorry for yourself. Move on. Get moving. God is with you, Really. Agape. Grandpa. :) :D :biggrin: :cool: ;)

[HeatherlyButterfly]

hello there! i have had the same questions in my walk. and i still deal with this problem. sometimes, you just know. sometimes it could be God or it could be you. sometimes it could just plain be nothing. but how do you know? the best way i've found and been told is to grow in discernment. ask God in your prayers to teach you discernment and the sound of His voice. you will learn gradually with time. a few things-God will never say something contrary to His word. so look for some Biblical backup to whatever you're hearing. also. if God is saying something to you, and if there are other more mature Christians in your life, He will probably say the same things to them. ask them what they think of a situation and what you think God's response was. caring friends of yours will answer honestly and in a prayerful manner. if you need to talk or anythign ever send me an email. i'll answer it within the day most likely.

Love in Christ,
heather raye

[Ann]

Hello LLV It has been a blessing seeing you grow in Jesus.
Yes the things you mentioned can be responses from the Lord. They probably are. God talks to us in many ways, He speaks through His word (like when a verse really stands out to you or you've been wondering about something and then you hear someone share something from the Bible that talks about that very thing), He speaks to us through people and through circumstances, He speaks to us through things in nature, through Christian music and in many other ways including that still small voice in our heart and mind.

Here are 2 important things about l;earning to listen. First anything and everything God says to us will agree with His word. He will never ever tell you anything that contradicte the Bible. If it does not agree with His word it is not from God. Second making your mind a b;ank is not the way to hear from God. We need to get quiet sometimes and think about God and His word and not so much about our problems or the cares of life but not to try to make your mind a blank. That is something that they do in some Eastern religions and it is an invitation to spirits that don't come from God to stop by for a visit or to come in and try to take control. God does not want you to be a passive puppet, He wants you to be an active worshiper deliberately choosing to focus your heart and mind on Him.

Something else helpful to remember is that God does not always work in our emotions or in some spectacular experience. Sometimes He chooses to do that but we don't go by experiences or emotional response, we go by the truth of His word and by knowing He cares about us because He said so. Experience and emotion can fool us. Emotions can be changed by getting enough sleep or not enough, by what we eat, by body chemistry and hormonal changes, by what else is happening in our life, by how another person acts and a lot of other things. God's unchanging word is our stability even when everything else is all messed up or when we are so up on our experiences we can't quite find the ground.