“Listening to your heart as a way of discernment”
Sermon Title: Listening to your heart as a way of discernment
Scripture: Philippians 2:12-13 (ESV)
Passage
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-14)
Introduction
We take a break from our series on ‘The Heart Detox’ to examine another part of our heart we ought to offer up to God: our thoughts, feelings, and desires that surface as we discern a major decision in our life. The art of discernment isn’t an easy skill but is one that as we sharpen and refine, aids how we may delight in grasping and living out His good and perfect will for us.
This week’s message is hefty with self-reflective questions targeted at getting to the root of God’s desires for us, our personal desires, and a decision that is ultimately glorifying to Him. If we are not dutifully discerning with wisdom, we may end up living and doing someone else’s will rather than His will, neglecting the possibility of His good work in us.
God’s desires for us
When we’re trying to get at God’s desires for us (“What does God want?”), we may ask ourselves:
What is Jesus saying to me at this point in my life, in the context of the challenges and opportunities I’m facing?
Our default posture is to ask through prayer for it is our foundational and essential form of discerning God’s will.
Today, we will learn how to listen to our heart and how to integrate our hearts, our desires, and our feelings into the discernment process.
What indicators give me measures of confidence that it is Jesus speaking to me rather than someone or something else?
Our desires
When we think about following our heart, we may think this means to be responsive to the pull of our emotions or attentive to the gut feelings of what seems “best” or “right”. Apostle Paul highlights the importance of the underlying principles in our call as Jesus’ disciples.
In 2:12, it is explicit the core of our calling is obedience (“as you have always obeyed”) to Jesus Christ, followed by an urgency (“but much more in my absence”) in our duty to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Our duty in working out our salvation should not be mistaken as working for our salvation (“work out your own salvation with fear and trembling”). The Lord’s gift of salvation is freely given for all (Romans 3:23-24).
Out of respect for His holiness and sacredness, we maintain a holy awe and reverence in our duty of honouring and pleasing Him. This includes the way we make decisions.
Luckily, we are not alone in making decisions (“for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure”). In being able to have a new and personal relationship with God, our hearts have been transformed (Eze 36:26). Though our hearts are not perfect and they may lead us astray, we have a new awareness and ability to commune with the Lord’s heart as we discern our personal desires.
The Christian definition of discernment is the ability to make a distinction between the voice of Jesus and those competing voices that invariably speak in our hearts and minds.
A decision that is God-glorifying and God-honouring
Before we actually make our decision, how do we test between listening to the false or true spirits, or discern between consolations (great joy, peace, and centredness) and desolations (anxiety, fear, instability)?
Since we live in a fallen world, there will always be forces at work that challenge the way we can listen intently to God. True spirits will pull us towards God’s good and pleasing plans. We can seek alignment with God as He affirms His plans for us through other people, events, or circumstances but to be careful to not only seek external confirmation of His answer. We ought to be devoted in pursuing Him personally in times of silence, solitude, and prayerful discernment as He ultimately pulls us closer to Him. God is calling us to work it out rather than just waiting for God to work it in.
Consolations: draw us nearer to God. We can test the consolation we receive with other facets of discernment. Testing the consolation before jumping into a decision is important as it is easy to manipulate our consolations to fit our desires.
Assessments: Are we moving towards God? Is there internal joy and peace that's pulling me towards God in the decision that I have to make?
Posture: 1) We are turned outwards or beyond ourselves; 2) We are bonded more closely to others; 3) New inspiration or ideas are generated that benefit His Kingdom; 4) Restoration of balance and refreshes our inner vision and hope; 5) Witness clearly where God is active in our lives and where He is leading us; and 6) We are renewed with abundant energy to do His good work.
Desolations: draw us further from God. When we’re in a state of desolation, we need to wait on the Lord. When we’re in this state, when we feel angry and anxious, disconnected from God’s ways - we may want to make a decision right away. We can’t make a wise decision that is in line with God’s will when we are disarrayed and dealing with heightened emotions. The bigger the decision, the more time we need for discernment.
Assessments: Are we moving away from God? When I honestly think about my decision, am I being pulled away from God?
Posture: 1) We are turned inward; 2) We are driven deeper into negative and self-destructive feelings; 3) We are cut off from others; 4) We tend to give up on things that used to be important to us; and 5) Our energy or life is depleted.
Thankfully, we have a new heart and God is at work within you. He is working through everything in us – our feelings, our dispositions, our tendencies, our understandings — everything in us. The invitation is for us to slow down, to pay attention, and to listen to that inner voice of Jesus that leads us to doing God's will.
Sermon reflection questions
Have you discerned with God in the past? What were those decisions about and what is your process or approach to discernment?
Are you currently in a season of discernment? What is this decision you are discerning about? Why is this decision important to you that you would think to discern with God?
When you are discerning about an issue, how important is it to listen to your heart? How much of the final decision to you attribute to logical deduction or elimination vs. trusting your gut feeling or seeking alignment in God’s ways of working through scripture, people, events, or circumstances?
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