Episode Summary: 

The God of the universe is trying to communicate with you. Are you listening?

Have you ever felt like God was prompting you to do something but questioned whether it was his voice? Instead of acting, you waited for another sign. What if God has already given us what we need to know if a word is from him?

Today’s guest, Abby McDonald, addresses a key misconception about God's voice: that it will tell what will happen tomorrow. We've mistaken God's voice in our lives for a means of obtaining knowledge instead of embracing its power to give us peace for today. Since the fall in the garden of Eden, humanity has carried the same deception that misled Eve. We think more information will give us more freedom. But if we look at Jesus's teachings, we see that his direction was never intended to give us a roadmap.

We can trade the yoke of certainty we carry for a better one: Jesus's yoke. By focusing on three promises Jesus gave us in John 10, Abby McDonald, addresses a key misconception about God's voice: that it will tell what shows a better way to live, empowered by God's Word instead of a false sense of security. In this episode of Your Hope-Filled Perspective, we’re going to be talking about How to Hear from God and Find Peace Without Knowing What’s Next.

 

Quotables from the episode:
Jesus never promised to give us a guarantee about what's going to happen now his presence with us is a guarantee absolutely but he doesn't promise to show us what's going to happen.
We can trade that yoke, that need for certainty for Jesus' yoke. And he tells us his yoke is easy and his burden is light. And that doesn't promise that our lives are going to be easy and light. He doesn't promise us that, but he does promise to give us what we need for today. And there's so much more peace living in today.
Until we surrender those questions that, like you said, we're just going to live in that state of anxiety, and we're going to be worrying and trying to control what is not in our ability to control.
If we focus on what God has given us, the truth that He has given us, then we can live in His peace and we can have joy and abundant life.
Let your fear propel you toward Jesus.
Most of the time in my experience, hearing from God is more like a gentle nudge. It's more like a prompt or just this burning that I fill in my heart and I just know that I have to do something.
We don't learn to recognize those nudges until we act on them.
What can look like a closed door may actually just be a detour in the path that he has to get us where he wants us ultimately to go.
We cannot know the voice of God if we do not know what his word says.

 

Scripture References:
John 10:27 “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, they will follow me.”
John 10:9 “They will come in and go out, and find pasture.”
John 10:28 “No one will snatch them out of my hand.”

 

Recommended Resources: 
Surrendering Certainty: Hearing God Today by Letting Go of Tomorrow by Abby McDonald 
Shift: Changing Our Focus to See the Presence of God by Abby McDonald 
Free Stress-Response Personality Assessment
Sacred Scars: Resting in God’s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson
The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner AWSA 2024 Golden Scroll Christian Living Book of the Year and the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Christian Living and Non-Fiction categories
YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms
Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises from God to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, AWSA Member of the Year, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in the Devotional category, the 2023 Christian Literary Awards Reader’s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals
YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 1
YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 2
Revive & Thrive Women’s Online Conference
Revive & Thrive Summit 2
Trusting God through Cancer Summit 1
Trusting God through Cancer Summit 2
Breaking Anxiety’s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2020 Best Christian Living Book First Place, the first place winner for the Best Christian Living Book, the 2020 Carolina Christian  Writer’s Conference Contest winner for nonfiction, and winner of the 2021 Christian Literary Award’s Reader’s Choice Award in all four categories for which it was nominated (Non-Fiction Victorious Living, Christian Living Day By Day, Inspirational Breaking Free and Testimonial Justified by Grace categories.)
YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety’s Grip
Breaking Anxiety’s Grip Free Study Guide
Free PDF Resource: How to Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win
Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor’s Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Henri and Reader’s Choice Award
Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader’s Choice Award
Free Webinar: Help for When You’re Feeling Blue

 

Social Media Links for Guest and Host:

Connect with Abby McDonald:

Website / Facebook / Instagram / Pinterest / LinkedIn

 

For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at:

Order Book Sacred Scars / Order Book The Hem of His Garment / Order Book Today is Going to be a Good Day / Order Book  Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails  /  Website  /   Blog  /  Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson)  /  LinkedIn  /  Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube / Podcast on Apple

 

About Abby McDonald:

Abby McDonald is the author of Shift and Surrendering Certainty. She is also a writer, speaker, wife and mom whose work has been featured on (in)Courage, For Every Mom, Crosswalk, and more. She writes for Proverbs 31 Ministries' daily devotional, Encouragement for Today, and her passion is to empower women to grow in faith and hope, even when life is messy. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in English from the 

University of South Carolina, and loves to teach at writing conferences each year. When she's not reading or writing, you can find her wrangling her three kids and black lab while drinking copious amounts of coffee. Abby lives with her husband and three children in western Maryland.

 

Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson

Audio Technical Support: Ashton Bengtson

Episode Summary: 
The God of the universe is trying to communicate with you. Are you listening?
Have you ever felt like God was prompting you to do something but questioned whether it was his voice? Instead of acting, you waited for another sign. What if God has already given us what we need to know if a word is from him?
Today&rsquo;s guest, Abby McDonald, addresses a key misconception about God's voice: that it will tell what will happen tomorrow. We've mistaken God's voice in our lives for a means of obtaining knowledge instead of embracing its power to give us peace for today. Since the fall in the garden of Eden, humanity has carried the same deception that misled Eve. We think more information will give us more freedom. But if we look at Jesus's teachings, we see that his direction was never intended to give us a roadmap.
We can trade the yoke of certainty we carry for a better one: Jesus's yoke. By focusing on three promises Jesus gave us in John 10, Abby McDonald, addresses a key misconception about God's voice: that it will tell what shows a better way to live, empowered by God's Word instead of a false sense of security. In this episode of Your Hope-Filled Perspective, we&rsquo;re going to be talking about How to Hear from God and Find Peace Without Knowing What&rsquo;s Next.
&nbsp;
Quotables from the episode:
<ul>
<li>Jesus never promised to give us a guarantee about what's going to happen now his presence with us is a guarantee absolutely but he doesn't promise to show us what's going to happen.</li>
<li>We can trade that yoke, that need for certainty for Jesus' yoke. And he tells us his yoke is easy and his burden is light. And that doesn't promise that our lives are going to be easy and light. He doesn't promise us that, but he does promise to give us what we need for today. And there's so much more peace living in today.</li>
<li>Until we surrender those questions that, like you said, we're just going to live in that state of anxiety, and we're going to be worrying and trying to control what is not in our ability to control.</li>
<li>If we focus on what God has given us, the truth that He has given us, then we can live in His peace and we can have joy and abundant life.</li>
<li>Let your fear propel you toward Jesus.</li>
<li>Most of the time in my experience, hearing from God is more like a gentle nudge. It's more like a prompt or just this burning that I fill in my heart and I just know that I have to do something.</li>
<li>We don't learn to recognize those nudges until we act on them.</li>
<li>What can look like a closed door may actually just be a detour in the path that he has to get us where he wants us ultimately to go.</li>
<li>We cannot know the voice of God if we do not know what his word says.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Scripture References:
<ul>
<li>John 10:27 &ldquo;My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, they will follow me.&rdquo;</li>
<li>John 10:9 &ldquo;They will come in and go out, and find pasture.&rdquo;</li>
<li>John 10:28&nbsp;&ldquo;No one will snatch them out of my hand.&rdquo;</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Recommended Resources:&nbsp;
<ul></ul>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/4g9pOXN">Surrendering Certainty: Hearing God Today by Letting Go of Tomorrow</a> by Abby McDonald&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/4qB9in1">Shift: Changing Our Focus to See the Presence of God</a> by Abby McDonald&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://drmichellebengtson.com/srpa/">Free Stress-Response Personality Assessment</a></li>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/3b4Tfsi"></a><a href="https://amzn.to/3OpAZgQ">Sacred Scars: Resting in God&rsquo;s Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted</a>&nbsp;by Dr. Michelle Bengtson</li>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/3sCoqqm">The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms</a> by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner AWSA 2024 Golden Scroll Christian Living Book of the Year and the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader&rsquo;s Choice Award in the Christian Living and Non-Fiction categories</li>
<li>YouVersion 5-Day Devotional&nbsp;<a href="http://bible.us/r/A57">Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms</a></li>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/3twWnXp">Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises from God to Start Your Day Off Right</a> by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, AWSA Member of the Year, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the 2024 Christian Literary Awards Reader&rsquo;s Choice Award in the Devotional category, the 2023 Christian Literary Awards Reader&rsquo;s Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals</li>
<li><a href="https://www.bible.com/en-GB/reading-plans/31089-today-is-going-to-be-a-good-day">YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 1</a></li>
<li><a href="https://my.bible.com/reading-plans/31151-today-is-going-to-be-another-good-day">YouVersion Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day version 2</a></li>
<li><a href="https://leanhealthyageless.com/revive-and-thrive-landing-mb/">Revive &amp; Thrive Women&rsquo;s Online Conference</a></li>
<li><a href="https://leanhealthyageless.com/fall-2020-revive-and-thrive-landing/">Revive &amp; Thrive Summit 2</a></li>
<li><a href="https://bit.ly/3mJPixb">Trusting God through Cancer Summit 1</a></li>
<li><a href="https://bit.ly/3to2SJc">Trusting God through Cancer Summit 2</a></li>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/2ZSTP4N">Breaking Anxiety&rsquo;s Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises</a>&nbsp;by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2020 Best Christian Living Book First Place, the first place winner for the Best Christian Living Book, the 2020 Carolina Christian&nbsp; Writer&rsquo;s Conference Contest winner for nonfiction, and winner of the 2021 Christian Literary Award&rsquo;s Reader&rsquo;s Choice Award in all four categories for which it was nominated (Non-Fiction Victorious Living, Christian Living Day By Day, Inspirational Breaking Free and Testimonial Justified by Grace categories.)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/16633-breaking-anxietys-grip-by-michelle-bengtson">YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety&rsquo;s Grip</a></li>
<li><a href="https://drmichellebengtson.com/breaking-anxietys-grip-study-guide/">Breaking Anxiety&rsquo;s Grip Free Study Guide</a></li>
<li>Free PDF Resource: <a href="https://drmichellebengtson.com/fight-anxious-fearful-thoughts-download/">How to Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win</a></li>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/2zB0e7J">Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor&rsquo;s Personal Journey Through Depression</a>&nbsp;by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Henri and Reader&rsquo;s Choice Award</li>
<li><a href="https://amzn.to/2yMdN46">Hope Prevails Bible Study</a>&nbsp;by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader&rsquo;s Choice Award</li>
<li>Free Webinar: <a href="https://drmichellebengtson.com/10-tips-to-beat-the-blues-webinar-replay-sign-up/">Help for When You&rsquo;re Feeling Blue</a></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Social Media Links for Guest and Host:
Connect with Abby McDonald:
<a href="https://abbymcdonald.org/">Website</a> / <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fearfullymademom/">Facebook</a> / <a href="https://www.instagram.com/abbymcdonaldwriter/">Instagram</a> / <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/abbymcd7/">Pinterest</a> / <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/abby-mcdonald-95b47151/">LinkedIn</a>
&nbsp;
For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at:
Order Book <a href="https://amzn.to/3OpAZgQ">Sacred Scars</a> / Order Book <a href="https://amzn.to/3sCoqqm">The Hem of His Garment</a> / Order Book <a href="https://amzn.to/3twWnXp">Today is Going to be a Good Day</a> / Order Book &nbsp;<a href="https://amzn.to/2Vvipro">Breaking Anxiety&rsquo;s Grip</a>&nbsp;/ Order Book&nbsp;<a href="https://amzn.to/2Vus9SJ">Hope Prevails</a>&nbsp; / &nbsp;<a href="https://www.drmichellebengtson.com/">Website</a>&nbsp; / &nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://drmichellebengtson.com/category/blog/">Blog</a>&nbsp; /&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/DrMichelleBengtson">Facebook</a>&nbsp;/&nbsp;<a href="https://www.twitter.com/DrMBengtson">Twitter</a>&nbsp;(@DrMBengtson) &nbsp;/&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/DrMichelleBengtson">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;/&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/drmichellebengtson">Instagram</a>&nbsp;/&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/Drbhopeprevails">Pinterest</a>&nbsp;/&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn92DHzGSZk8psDb2FKazOQ">YouTube</a> / <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/your-hope-filled-perspective-dr-michelle-bengtson-podcast/id1468018011">Podcast on Apple</a>
&nbsp;
About Abby McDonald:
Abby McDonald is the author of Shift and Surrendering Certainty. She is also a writer, speaker, wife and mom whose work has been featured on (in)Courage, For Every Mom, Crosswalk, and more. She writes for Proverbs 31 Ministries' daily devotional, Encouragement for Today, and her passion is to empower women to grow in faith and hope, even when life is messy. She earned a Bachelor&rsquo;s Degree in English from the&nbsp;
University of South Carolina, and loves to teach at writing conferences each year. When she's not reading or writing, you can find her wrangling her three kids and black lab while drinking copious amounts of coffee. Abby lives with her husband and three children in western Maryland.
&nbsp;
Hosted By:&nbsp;Dr. Michelle Bengtson
Audio Technical Support: Ashton Bengtson

Your Hope-Filled Perspective draws on Dr. Michelle Bengtson’s almost 3 decades of clinical expertise as a neuropsychologist to help her listeners regain hope, renew their minds, and transform their lives. With a perfect balance of clinical expertise, compassion, and vulnerability, Dr. Bengtson and her guests purpose to share Biblically-based hope-filled perspectives for real-life issues, struggles, and concerns. Voted #2 in 2022's Podcast Magazine's Top 50 Moms in Podcasting.

Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast

Your Hope-Filled Perspective draws on Dr. Michelle Bengtson&rsquo;s almost 3 decades of clinical expertise as a neuropsychologist to help her listeners regain hope, renew their minds, and transform their lives. With a perfect balance of clinical expertise, compassion, and vulnerability, Dr. Bengtson and her guests purpose to share Biblically-based hope-filled perspectives for real-life issues, struggles, and concerns. Voted #2 in 2022's Podcast Magazine's Top 50 Moms in Podcasting.

Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson

How to Hear from God and Find Peace Without Knowing What’s Next

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/60994f50-1914-4fe4-b851-b4ac00208870/transcript