Keys to Understanding What God is Saying to You

Specific

There are, of course, times when we will be able to identify a specific message or idea from the Lord. Sometimes I marvel at the level of detail God can communicate; think of the direction Moses received concerning the tabernacle and priesthood, and the mathematical and construction details relayed to Noah for the ark. And both of these guys lived before the Resurrection! We have so much more available to us today—we have the Living Christ dwelling and speaking within us. Don’t be surprised if the Lord begins to find ways to stretch your hearing to accommodate His details, whether in financial matters (how much should I pay for this?), travel (when, where, for how long, with whom), or any matter that may arise.

Direction

One of the main ways the Lord gets our attention, to draw us to Him, is by putting us in positions where we need to make a decision or choice. Most of us have put such an emphasis on being in the center of the divine will of God that we lose the peace and rest that comes from letting Him guide us as He chooses. Regarding divine guidance, discerning and following His leading, it is helpful to remember now that His purpose, His goal is not that we make the “right” choice or decision, but that we depend on Him to reveal what that decision is. As we mature in rest we will more and more find ourselves making decisions and choices without realizing it; not until after we find ourselves traveling in a new direction will we even notice, for our eyes and ears will be upon Him, not on our surroundings.

Confirmation

One of the benefits of gaining the confidence of knowing that we are hearing the Lord’s voice is we will become less dependent on the need for confirmation. As we begin, the Lord knows we need this encouragement, and will use confirmation, giving a sign in some way, for instance, that what we’ve heard or understood is from Him.