Hearing from God: Reconciliation, Separation, Divorce?

Being in transition can be a hard place to be in.
After I separated from my husband I was in what I call “Limbo” – not quite married, but not quite divorced. With my life at a crossroads. At an Inbetween.

I really wanted to know God’s direction for my life.  Do I let go, and move forward and follow through divorce, which I know the Lord hates? Or do I wait, pray, hope, believe, love and have faith in that which I did not see? (see Malachi 2:16, Matthew 5:32, Mark 10:11-12)

So I sought the Lord fervently.

The Lord does not always speak to us directly so below I have included what I have learned on hearing from God.

Ways to Hear from God:

• Prayer
• The Word (which can manifest via):
  • Christian Radio
  • Sermons, Bible Studies, Christian Education
  • Devotionals
  • Inspirational Books/ Pages
• God’s People:
  • Prophets
  • Spiritual Mentors, Pastors, Parents, Teachers, Elders, Leaders
  • Someone unexpected: a Stranger, a Child (see Psalm 8:2)
• A vision/ a dream (for some)
• The Holy Spirit

Nothing is a Coincidence:

Many of us think that we take control and read whatever random scripture, or listen to whatever random song, or tune in to whatever random sermon.

But God knew what page you would open, what verse your finger would land on, what sermon you would catch the last 15 minutes of.

God can plant His seeds in the most creative ways if you are receptive enough to receive it. So if you are exposed to a message or a word, seek fervently to see what the Lord wants you to know!

 Nothing with Him is a coincidence.

Discernment:

With that being said it is important to apply discernment to your situation. Not everything is meant as a sign. It is wise not to  immediately act on what could be a misinterpretation.

The Lord tells us about rightly dividing the word of truth (see 2 Timothy 2:15). Act with discernment, but remain open minded.

So what are some signs you should look for to know it’s God?

How to Know it’s God:

• Confirmation/consistency – Oftentimes if the message is from the Lord it will be confirmed elsewhere, approved by another party. The Lord is often consistent in His delivery. He can give you the same message through different mediums and people. If you are noticing a theme in what you’re reading and hearing perhaps that is something you need to take a  closer look at.
• Spiritual counsel – The word says safety is in the multitude of counsel (see Proverbs 11:14). Surround yourself with spiritual counsel to make a wise decision and discern
• Holy Spirit – Of course, the Lord is always in you. His Holy Spirit is there ready to intercede for you in prayer. Sometimes the Holy Spirit is there to guide us, with a gentle nudge, or that deep knowing inside of us on what to do or not to do in a situation.
• Peace – If emotions are involved in the decision making process that can be a red flag. If you are feeling ambivalence or confusion, perhaps you need to spend more time in prayer. The Lord says ask and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find (see Matthew 7:7).
• Soft Spoken Nudge – Often times the Lord speaks softly. With a gentle, soft-spoken whisper. Make sure you spend enough time in His presence just listening to Him. You can’t listen if you’re always talking!

You need to move to be directed:

And finally, for some of us the Lord will not provide His answer or direction until we move. Like a car that is in park, you can not direct the vehicle until it is taken out of park and put in to drive.

Step first, so that you may be directed.

Everything Works together for the Good:

Ultimately, whatever happens the Lord can work it all together for your good if you let Him (Romans 8:28).

For my personal story I never got the clarity I wanted and though my story ended in divorce, the Lord has a plan and a purpose for each and every one of us.

Sometimes there is not a clear path, but multiple paths that can lead to the right destiny. If the Lord wants you on a path He will guide you once you have moved. Just make sure to remain open before Him and trust in faith that He will provide.