We’re focusing a few devotionals on hearing (or discerning) the voice of God in our lives.
You hear God’s voice by seeking God’s voice.
In addition to saturating yourself with Scripture, and to spending time in prayer, a third habit of discernment is counsel.
This has to do with seeking the counsel of other godly people. The puritans called it ‘conference’—as in, conferring with other believers.
Jesus said: “My sheep [plural] hear my voice, and I know them [plural], and they [plural] follow me” (John 10:27). Within the flock, the sheep help each other hear the voice of the Shepherd. If one of them wanders down the creek and misses an instruction, they can ask the other sheep to see what they missed.
How many times have you been confused or uncertain about something. As a result, you track down someone who is faithful and caring. After talking to them, you feel a bit more confident. Maybe they shared something you hadn’t thought of before because of their different perspective. Maybe they talked about a similar experience to your own and could shed some light on your situation.
As I’ve said before, God puts people in our lives to help us pilot our lives.
Proverbs 15:22 says: “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”
Many advisors—not no advisers.
There isn’t a one-to-one ratio between God’s voice and the voice of your trusted friend or family member. But they might be able to help bring some perspective and wisdom to an otherwise foggy situation.
Seek out faithful, trustworthy people. Pick up the phone. Go for a walk. Meet at a coffee shop.
“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”
Notes:
–Bible quotes are from the NIV.
The Up Devotional 