Discerning God’s Voice - Martin Wiles

O LORD, listen to my cry; give me the discerning mind you promised. Psalm 119:169 NLT

One text message can change the course of a life. 

She really didn’t want to come to church that Sunday night. After all, they were just showing the movie, God’s Not Dead. But her husband wanted to come, so she obliged. Near the end of the movie, concert goers in the movie were encouraged to text God’s not dead to every contact in their phone. Though she wasn’t in the movie, she felt the urge to text her son who was struggling with an addiction. Little did she know he was about to take another hit. Receiving the text from his mom at that critical moment changed his mind. She discerned God’s voice.

I recently discerned God’s voice as well. My wife and I were eating at a local restaurant. Four highway patrolmen sat at the table next to ours, one of whom I was acquainted with. God’s Spirit urged me to perform a particular act of kindness for them. It was Memorial Day, as well as the day we were honoring medical responders, firemen, and law enforcement personnel. Reason prompted me to consider the cost; God wanted me to act on His prompting. So I listened.  

God promises believers we can discern his mind, and the psalmist wanted to do just that. Unfortunately, I’ve missed many opportunities because I either didn’t discern His voice or lacked faith—faith that God would replace the money the act of kindness would cost. 

God gives me the ability to know the mind of Christ, but it doesn’t happen automatically. 

Just as keeping in touch with family and friends helps me know them along with their likes and wants, so the same happens in my relationship with Christ.

Through prayer, Bible study, and meditation, I learn who He is, what His desires for me are, and how to please Him. His Spirit may indwell me, but unless I stay in constant contact with Him, His Spirit’s promptings will grow fainter and fainter. 

Stay close to God so you won’t miss opportunities He sends. And when He sends them, take a leap of faith and act upon what He tells you to do. 

Prayer: Father, give us the wisdom to recognize Your voice and the faith to obey it. 

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