Faith and Therapy

As a Christian, it can be difficult at times to discern whether the feeling we are feeling, or the voice we are hearing, is from the Lord. We tend to struggle due to the myriad of distractions and noise that we have around us whether that’s work, social media, relationships, etc. We can also find it difficult to differentiate between our own anxiety or the Holy Spirit moving within us. So how do we know if it’s the Father’s voice, or our own anxious thoughts?

Recognizing the Voice of God

Recently I have been reading “Discerning the Voice of God” by Priscilla Shirer, and although I have not finished the book, I do have some thoughts so far. In James, we are told to draw near to the Lord and He will draw near to us (James 4:8). I find this to be crucial in our development in our relationship with Christ and our ability to discern His voice. As we spend time with others, we learn more about them. What makes them happy? What breaks their heart? What do they like? What would they say to me in this or that situation? We begin to truly understand their character, their personality, their heart.

In the Bible, Jesus is called the “good shepherd,” and we are considered His sheep. Here is the really cool thing about this metaphor when it comes to our Savior: Sheep know their Shepherd by His voice. When shepherds are watching over their sheep, they allow them to go and graze. During this time, their sheep will tend to wander and intermix with other sheep of a different shepherd’s flock. Then when nighttime would come, and it would be time for the sheep to rejoin their shepherd, each shepherd will call out to their sheep. The sheep will respond and run to their shepherd because they know and recognize their shepherd’s voice. Their shepherd also warns them of danger and they run to him, knowing that he will fight for them, comfort them, and keep them safe. As we draw near to the Lord, we begin to recognize Him by His voice. We find comfort in Him, we find safety in Him. We know that He will correct us with his rod and staff, but we welcome it, running back to Him all the same.

How to Discern the Voice of God

Recognizing the voice of God, comes first and foremost by spending time with Him (drawing near to Him).

Read Scripture

• Discerning the voice of God, comes with reading His Word. We can begin to know and understand the Lord’s voice as we read His Word. This can help us understand God’s character and continue to cultivate our spiritual growth.

PRayer

LISTEN

• Discerning the voice of God, comes with listening for His voice. As mentioned before, we have all this noise around us that we tend to listen to. Sometimes we forget, as we are talking to the Lord, to listen to Him as well. Set aside quiet time to just listen for and to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit.

Worship

• Discerning the voice of God, comes with worshiping Him. As we begin to know the Lord’s voice, we must spend time worshiping Him through music or walking in nature. Sometimes it feels like spending time in the Lord’s creation and worshiping Him outdoors brings our hearts closer to Him. We can worship Him through many different avenues, it is truly about our heart posture and why we do the things we do.