When We Don't Hear God

In this section, Elderedge tells a somewhat comical story about being unable to find his watch. I love what he wrote along the lines of God not speaking to him at that moment would not be the verdict on how he is doing with God at that moment. "Hearing from God flows out of our relationship." He talks about the many different ways that God can speak to us or answer prayers (contents of a sermon, kind words from a friend, etc.). What are some of the ways that God has spoken to you?

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What Should I Read?

Eldredge discusses on pages 41-42 an approach to the scriptures that many people take without intimacy. People may come away from time in the Word as frustrated because they got little out of it or even gaining intellectual undestanding, but missing communication with God. Have you ever experienced this in your life?

He then talks about asking God "What would you have me read today?" How does this sound to you? Have you ever tried this? If so, please give a brief testimony on how this approach worked (or didn't work) for you.

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Making Room for Joy

How much do you think about joy in your life? Is it essential? Something that you see that God wants for you? That he insists on? Where do you turn for comfort or a little relief? What do you believe about joy?

Read Nehemiah 8:10, Psalm 28:7, Psalm 4:7, John 15:11, John 16:24 and John 17:13. What do these scriptures tell you about joy?

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Whole and Holy

Eldredge talks about wholeness and holiness going together. "You can't find the holines you want without deep wholeness. And you can't find the wholeness you want without deep holiness." He quotes Ephesians 1:4, "God chose us to make us whole and holy through his love." What do you think about what Eldredge says in this section of the book?



Thinking of a struggle that you have in your life (we all have struggles). Do you see both brokenness and sin involved within that issue of your life? Do you believe that God wants to truly restore you, to transform you?

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On Learning to Listen

In this section, Eldredge discusses starting with asking God simple questions and "trying on" answers if we need to. Have you taken the opportunity to try doing this? If so, what has the Father shown you? Has this changed the way that you talk to Him? How you listen?

In case you don't have the workbook (not necessary for the blog, but it is very good)----Eldredge goes into this a little more on this issue. One thing that I thought was very important is that we should not get frustrated if we do not feel that we hear God speaking to us right away. We might ask how we know that it is God talking to us, rather than our own thoughts. (If you are like me, it is difficult to quiet your own thoughts--My thoughts seem to ramble on and on at times...) His answer to this question is "you will over time." He recommends listening to your own thoughts for a little while so that you are used to them and can then better differentiate. Then, intentionally quiet your own thoughts and "be still" to make room for God to speak to you.

What I thought was particularly important to mention is that we should "test the fruit" of what we hear. "If you embrace the thought as from God, as being true, what is the fruit? Does it bring hope, love, joy, comfort? That sounds like God. Does it bring sorrow or discouragement, or wors, accusation and self-reproach? God is not the accuser - Satan is. SO if you hear condemning things you know that's not from God (Romans 8:1)."

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Summer: Slowing Down to Listen

Eldredge talks about being trapped on the porch in a rain storm, frustrated at being unable to tackle all that he wants to accomplish that day. He says that often, the way that we live our lives are atually preventing us from living the life that God would have us live. "All that we are doing and chasing feels so inevitable. But do you like the pace of your life?" Do you think that your life feels "easy" and "light", as in 'my yoke is easy and my burden is light?" How often are you able to truly stop and rest? DOes your current way of life reveal your plan to find life?

In the workbook, Eldredge makes a challenge to ask God "What is the life you want me to live?" Are you willing to make any changes He might ask of you in order to find and live that life? Do you have certian areas of your life that you try to keep "off limits" from God? Areas that you would rather Him not "interfere with?"

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What is God up to???

Elderedge speaks about God always having His eye on our transformation. How do you feel about being transformed? You don't have to answer, but think about it...can you guess where a transformation might be needed?

He talks about how each of us has something that plagues us, some area where we "screw up". "You know what plagues you." What might it be like to never do it again and not even struggle with that area of your life? "What would your life be like if you were free of all that haunts you."

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Does God Still Speak?

Elderedge asks, "I confessed in the Prelude my assumption that God still speaks, personally, to his people. What do you believe about that?" Do you believe God speaks to you? What is your assumption based upon?

"What would you love to hear from God on? Make a point to gently ask God about that this week. Keep coming back to the question.

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Assumptions

Think of an event in your life where things didn't turn out the way that you had hoped. What did you assume about it? What are some of the assumptions that you have about God, about life, about God in your life, about happiness?

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Prelude: Learning to Hear the Voice of God, Question 2

If you did seek God beforehand, what do you think about the fact that things still fell apart? If you didn't ask, has it ocurred to you that maybe the reason for the trial is that you didn't ask? How many things in an ordinary week do you ask God about? (Elderedge says that he is not asking these questions to cause embarassement or self-reproach. He just wants us to think about it as we begin searching for a closer walk with the Father.)

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Prelude: Learning to Hear the Voice of God

Has anything like the "tree ordeal" described by Elderedge happened to you this year? Share the ordeal with us, if you like. What do you make of it? Think about it. Did you ask God about it before hand? Did you think to ask Him?

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"Walking with God" by John Eldredge

Off we go! Praise God, too! We had two additional ladies say that they wanted to participate with this book during the time of the shipment delay! What and awesome God!!

Since there are no chapters to this book, I will just try to post a few questions each week. Please go at whatever pace God leads you, so that no one is feeling pressured to keep up and missing out on something that the Father might have in store! I will be pulling questions from the workbook that goes along with the book and will label them by the subtitle given in the book. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to let me know!

Blessings to each of you!!

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Small Delay

My goal was to start posting questions for "Walking with God" this week, but my book still isn't here. (Somehow it takes over a week to transport it from a storage facility that is three hours from here.) I have also heard from a couple of you that you are still waiting on books. Maybe God is slowing things down to add some addtional readers to the group! That would be so awesome!



My book should be here next week and the other ladies that I have talked to are expecting theirs by then, as well. I will try and start posting questions later next week and we can go from there!



Blessings!!

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Chapter 10, Focus Question 3

How can I benefit from this psalm in my life today? This week?

Meditaon Psalm 105.

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Chapter 10, Focus Question 2

What are some specific promises He has for me there?

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Chapter 10, Looking Ahead, Focus Question 1

Meditate on Psalm 103.

Describe the character of God from these passages.

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