When someone learns that I teach piano and voice, there is an automatic assumption that I spend my days working with children. For the overwhelming majority of my students, that is true. But I have a feeling you would be just as surprised as anyone to learn that I do teach adults, too. One of the ladies I work with is hardly a beginner. She has been the pianist at her church for a couple of decades, and I’m really more a coach in keeping her skills fresh and a consultant as she plans what she will play for her church. It has become a great friendship, and often the “lesson” turns more into a conversation about the things of God and our journeys with Him.
During one of those conversations, she shared with me a stirring in her heart that it might be time to step aside from her role at church. There had been a change in the music leadership, and her role had changed to playing prelude music, maybe an offering, a short invitation, and closing music. The congregational worship and choir music would now be done with recorded music. You could see the disappointment in the back of her eyes, and I could sense that she was feeling not good enough, and a bit unwanted. She asked the question that so many of us ask: “How do I know if this is what God really wants me to do?” It’s the question of the ages, and our enemy, the devil, would love to keep us swirling with indecision. But-there is a way to know, and it’s wrapped in five simple questions. I can’t take credit for these. I learned this in a study a few years ago with the book “What Happens When Women Say ‘Yes’ to God” by Lysa TerKeurst. I’d like to share them with you:
Does what I’m hearing (or feeling) line up with Scripture? This is something you can count on. God will never, ever ask you to do something that is contrary to His Word. To know HIs Word, you have to be in His Word daily. It is the sword we can use to cut right through the enemy’s lies and deceptions. The Word is the tool the Holy Spirit uses to show us this is indeed God speaking to us. Scripture will never steer you wrong, and you will, as the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 12:2, “be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Is what I’m hearing consistent with God’s character? Just as God always speaks in line with His Word, He always speaks in line with His character. He will never say things or steer you in a direction inconsistent with who He is. Paul also wrote in Romans 8:5, “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” If what you are hearing is in line with God’s character, then it’s time to move on to question 3.
Is what I’m hearing being confirmed through other messages? I can personally attest to this. When God has been dealing with me about something He wants me to do, I can’t get away from it. Around every corner I will hear something in a sermon, read it in a Bible study, or even hear it in a conversation with someone who has no knowledge of what God is speaking into me at that time. This confirmation comes when we are spending time alone with God, not just getting a bit on Sunday or at a weekly Bible study. When we have that time with Him, one-on-one, you can be assured that you will hear those things echoed in other places. Now it’s time to move to question 4.
Is what I’m hearing beyond me? Now, if the first questions do not fully convince you, this one will-and this is probably the one where a lot of people jump off the train. God never intended for us to get all settled in and comfortable in our walk with Him. Very often He will ask us to do things that pull us out of our nice little cocoon of contentment and stretch us beyond what we think we are equipped to do. Our pastor has said something like this quite often: “God doesn’t call the equipped; He equips the called.” Saying yes to something beyond our ability allows God to shine, and all the glory goes to Him. And, that leads us to Question 5:
Will what I’m hearing please God? One of the easiest things we can do, and one of the things that gives the devil personal joy, is for one of us to talk ourselves out of thinking we are hearing from God. (Just ask anyone who has ever served on a nominating committee.) It’s easy to ignore that voice, that God nudge, because that means we don’t have to act. This one question should seal it for us, because each and every day of our journey here is about pleasing God.
So-has God been nudging you? Are you ready to say yes? I promise you-it will change your life, and you will never, ever regret it.