How does God speak to me?
Sidenote: I've been thinking recently about whether or not to divide the Christian and nursing aspects of my blog. I've decided for the moment to keep just the one blog...for me, my faith is a huge part of who I am and I am still working out how the two run alongside each other. My faith does influence the way I care - but I would never force my views upon colleagues or patients, in fact I wouldn't tell a patient I was a Christian unless they asked.
I'm currently working my way through a 30 day devotional on 1 Thessalonians called Living for Jesus. I somewhat lack discipline when it comes to reading my Bible and thus far 30 days has actually been 5 weeks and I'm only on day 10. However, the important bit is that I'm persevering and keep coming back to it. Today's study was about Jesus speaking to us through God's word and it got me thinking about how God speaks to me.
Firstly, I would imagine the feeling of "God speaking to you" is very different for everyone. However, for me - I can usually identify it by feeling overwhelmed with emotion (be that sadness, joy, peace), goosebumps and feeling incredibly tingly. It's that feeling of...this really applies to me and my life, it's as if He's in the room looking at me and asking me to listen. It's hard to explain, but for me...when God is speaking to me - I know it.
I think God speaks to me through music, through preaches, through reading my Bible, through prayer and ministry time, through my patients, through babies and the list goes on.
Music
I may not be the most disciplined when it comes to reading my Bible but I listen to worship music near enough every day. I begin my day with worship music playing. When I'm on the bus, more often than not it is worship flowing through my headphones. I love to sing and find that this is my most comfortable form of worship. Music is a way in which I am able to access and express my emotions. I particularly like worship music with a biblical basis - probably to do with my slight lack of Bible reading!
Preaches
I learn about God through preaches. And every so often, I'll feel God speak directly to me through what someone else is preaching. Learning about Him and feeling directly touched by a preach are very different things to me and both are important. I don't always meet with God at church, not in a tangible way, but I do always learn something new about His character.
Reading my Bible
I can't say I've ever opened my Bible and an apt verse has just jumped out of the page at me. However, I do notice that when I spend time reading my Bible, learning and journalling I am often far more peaceful. It's a special kind of peace that I only usually feel when I have met with God. I often feel encouraged when reading my Bible, and I can't say I've ever finished a Bible study and regretted it. It's not an easy book to read - but it is one of the most epic I will probably ever read.
Prayer and ministry
This for me is something that has developed over the years - and I definitely go through seasons of receiving more and seasons of giving more. I love prayer, I think it can be an incredibly powerful way to be part of you or someone else meeting with God. One of my favourite ways to hear God speaking to me is when He speaks through me. When the words of my prayer are just what the person needed to hear - because I know that actually that wasn't "my" prayer, it was God speaking through me. It's an incredible feeling and I feel incredibly blessed despite not being the person being prayed for!
Patients
God has spoken to me through some of my patients. For confidentiality reasons, any stories I post have will be vague/details changed to protect confidentiality but the sentiment is the same. For example, the patient who asked me to be present as they took their final communion. Who told me of the peace that came with accepting death and that they would soon be with Jesus. I never got the chance to ask if they knew I was a Christian or if it was their final evangelistic act. Either way it had a lasting impact on me. This patient died, perfectly peaceful, perfectly assured that they would soon be in Heaven. I have the same faith, but I can't say it is so unwavering! Through this patient, I was given an insight into the faith I would love to have. I can only hope that when my day comes I can be as equally at peace with it.
Babies
I love babies. I love the cuddles, I love watching them develop and learn new things. God has spoken to me many a time when I'm serving in the creche at church - that I am His baby. The way I delight in small children is the way He delights in me (and SO much more!). The adoration I have for them, the way they are so beautiful and delicate, with so much potential...that is how He sees me.
One of my favourites at the moment,
TTFN x
I'm currently working my way through a 30 day devotional on 1 Thessalonians called Living for Jesus. I somewhat lack discipline when it comes to reading my Bible and thus far 30 days has actually been 5 weeks and I'm only on day 10. However, the important bit is that I'm persevering and keep coming back to it. Today's study was about Jesus speaking to us through God's word and it got me thinking about how God speaks to me.
Firstly, I would imagine the feeling of "God speaking to you" is very different for everyone. However, for me - I can usually identify it by feeling overwhelmed with emotion (be that sadness, joy, peace), goosebumps and feeling incredibly tingly. It's that feeling of...this really applies to me and my life, it's as if He's in the room looking at me and asking me to listen. It's hard to explain, but for me...when God is speaking to me - I know it.
I think God speaks to me through music, through preaches, through reading my Bible, through prayer and ministry time, through my patients, through babies and the list goes on.
Music
I may not be the most disciplined when it comes to reading my Bible but I listen to worship music near enough every day. I begin my day with worship music playing. When I'm on the bus, more often than not it is worship flowing through my headphones. I love to sing and find that this is my most comfortable form of worship. Music is a way in which I am able to access and express my emotions. I particularly like worship music with a biblical basis - probably to do with my slight lack of Bible reading!
Preaches
I learn about God through preaches. And every so often, I'll feel God speak directly to me through what someone else is preaching. Learning about Him and feeling directly touched by a preach are very different things to me and both are important. I don't always meet with God at church, not in a tangible way, but I do always learn something new about His character.
Reading my Bible
I can't say I've ever opened my Bible and an apt verse has just jumped out of the page at me. However, I do notice that when I spend time reading my Bible, learning and journalling I am often far more peaceful. It's a special kind of peace that I only usually feel when I have met with God. I often feel encouraged when reading my Bible, and I can't say I've ever finished a Bible study and regretted it. It's not an easy book to read - but it is one of the most epic I will probably ever read.
Prayer and ministry
This for me is something that has developed over the years - and I definitely go through seasons of receiving more and seasons of giving more. I love prayer, I think it can be an incredibly powerful way to be part of you or someone else meeting with God. One of my favourite ways to hear God speaking to me is when He speaks through me. When the words of my prayer are just what the person needed to hear - because I know that actually that wasn't "my" prayer, it was God speaking through me. It's an incredible feeling and I feel incredibly blessed despite not being the person being prayed for!
Patients
God has spoken to me through some of my patients. For confidentiality reasons, any stories I post have will be vague/details changed to protect confidentiality but the sentiment is the same. For example, the patient who asked me to be present as they took their final communion. Who told me of the peace that came with accepting death and that they would soon be with Jesus. I never got the chance to ask if they knew I was a Christian or if it was their final evangelistic act. Either way it had a lasting impact on me. This patient died, perfectly peaceful, perfectly assured that they would soon be in Heaven. I have the same faith, but I can't say it is so unwavering! Through this patient, I was given an insight into the faith I would love to have. I can only hope that when my day comes I can be as equally at peace with it.
Babies
I love babies. I love the cuddles, I love watching them develop and learn new things. God has spoken to me many a time when I'm serving in the creche at church - that I am His baby. The way I delight in small children is the way He delights in me (and SO much more!). The adoration I have for them, the way they are so beautiful and delicate, with so much potential...that is how He sees me.
One of my favourites at the moment,
TTFN x
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