I Have a Confession to Make…

 Categories : Listening to God

 

Last week we talked about the first step in listening to God: confronting our beliefs about communicating with him. As I read the feedback and re-read the post, I felt convicted of a false belief of my own. I said “Listening to God is risky” and I noticed that several people expressed concern about the dangers of discerning God’s voice incorrectly. But as I thought and prayed about it, I realized I was wrong. I portrayed listening to God as risky, and talking without listening as benign. Nothing could be further from the truth.

listenListening to God feels risky. But if you think about it, what could be safer than connecting with him directly? We may feel safer when we commune with him through music or words written by other people, but what if they aren’t discerning correctly? Some people are skittish about listening prayer because they fear not being able to discern ‘between God and their own thoughts. But when we fill our prayer time with petitions, we are essentially hearing nothing but our own thoughts.

I don’t say this to minimize the importance of discernment. We’ll definitely talk more about it, because discernment is crucial. That said, listening is much safer than the alternative. Shifting our focus from talking to listening actually leaves us less vulnerable to deception, and the bible bears this out again and again.

As soon as I realized this, I knew I would have to admit it to you. I’m a recovering perfectionist, so being wrong usually make me feel physically sick. You wanna know something strange? I felt excited about it! I’m ready to learn from my mistakes and give you opportunity to learn from them too (without having to making them yourself).

And I thought about going back and changing the original post, but that didn’t feel totally authentic. I’m going to leave it as is (with a brief editorial update) as an acknowledgement that we all know in part. I won’t always get it right going forward, but I’m committed to modeling the principle that as long as we’re open to correction from the Holy Spirit, we’re safe.

Now it’s your turn: What belief or opinion have you revised after further prayer and reflection?

 



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  • Rosten

    Hannah, thanks for the vulnerability here. I tend to believe that kind of vulnerability/confession/correctivity (is that a word?) is so very important to listening healthily. It’s so easy for me to hear one thing from God and make it THE thing, and then pursue that for years without ever sitting down with my Father again. Right now God is teaching me that it’s less about each individual word from God and more about continually returning to that beautiful divine center.

    • mlekallio

      Rosten, I agree. It’s amazing how easy it is to get caught up in our individual revelations of/ from God and lose sight of the whole. My ability to “hear” God accurately depends (to a degree) on your discernment, and vice versa…our interdependence is the ultimate example of risk …and safety.

  • http://www.dreamswithwings.weebly.com Stephanie

    I guess I would have to say that this week I have been led onto a detour. I can’t say that it is a bad thing at all. When it becomes more of a bad thing I guess is when it really blocks my ability to hear God. I have this problem you see. It’s called CONTROL. The more I KNOW the more I can feel in CONTROL. Like I can even remotely KNOW everything. I tend to seek KNOWLEDGE above SEEKING God. It’s so very admirable to KNOW stuff. In my case though lately it is a huge hinderance to what the truest cry of my heart is. Which of course is an intimate and free flowing dialogue with God. I live with this angst daily. Seeking and putting God foremost in ALL things. Deepening my skill at walking in WISDOM and it’s ways. INSTEAD of KNOWLEDGE…. and may I also add INFORMATION. I am a self confessed ADD person anyways and don’t always have the ability to make application when my brain is distracted in a million different places.. In fact I had to go back now and look to see what the actual question was.. lol. The belief/opinion I have revised is …”NO I am NOT God. I am NOT the HEALER. I can’t HEAL myself. NO matter HOW much I KNOW. We shall see how things go this week. Lord have MERCY. :-)

    • mlekallio

      Stephanie, I’d like to suggest something for your consideration:
      Behind everything in your life that you’re unsatisfied with, you’ll find a desire. Behind each desire, you’ll find an aspect of God’s character. For example, you’re frustrated with your health. You desire healing. I suspect God put that desire in you because he created you to be an agent of his healing.
      You reflect his image in the world. He is the source of fulfillment for all your desires. Instead of feeling bad about wanting those things, focus on how he embodies those traits. Study his power, his knowledge, how he heals. Ask him to teach you how to reflect those aspects of his character. Your Abba has good gifts for you, and for everyone who asks.

  • http://lk10.com John White

    Excellent insight, Hannah! Thank you.

    • mlekallio

      Thanks for modeling these principles, John. You’ve been such an example to me.