We are so used to having answers at our fingertips. My algorithm serves up what I want, and I don't have to sift through anything or discern it. Slowly, we lose the spiritual muscle it takes to actually wait on the Lord. This week in our series on discerning God's voice, we're talking about the patience that listening requires. If we aren't prepared to wait on the Lord, we risk taking matters into our own hands, or passively missing out on something rich God has for us. So we'll look at what active waiting is, why it's so hard, and what the disciples in Acts 1 teach us about living fully while we wait.

What We Cover

Almost all of us are waiting on something. We're waiting for a relationship to begin, for the next step in our career, for a diagnosis to clear, for grief to pass. But we don't have to wait passively. We can wait actively.

Here's how I define it: active waiting is living in the present moment to the fullest, so we can actively look for signs of what's to come. It doesn't mean we stop existing or stop serving. That's the opposite of active waiting.

In this episode, we talk about:
Why waiting feels so vulnerable. It makes us face how little control we actually have, and it puts us in a position of surrender.
Jesus's last words before His ascension. His command was to wait, along with clear marching orders to be His witnesses.
How the disciples stayed active in the waiting. They prayed, gathered, made decisions together, and rejoiced until the Holy Spirit came.
Why none of us are in a waiting room. Whether you're in a season of active service or a season where you have to trust and rely on your relationship with God, you have a role to play in the kingdom.
The question I hear so often: Should I keep asking God for the answer? If asking brings you into deeper alignment with Him, keep asking. But if it makes you more impatient and self-absorbed, stop asking and start serving. God has not forgotten you or your request.

This is the day the Lord has made. Even without the answer, you can rejoice and be glad in it, and trust that He has heard your prayer.

Scriptures Referenced: Psalm 5:3, Psalm 27:14, Psalm 38:15, Psalm 130:5, Psalm 118:24, Psalm 37:4, Acts 1:3–11, Ecclesiastes 3:1

Want More?
Grab the free decision-making guide:nicoleunice.com/decisions
Book mentioned:Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life by Henri Nouwen

We are so used to having answers at our fingertips. My algorithm serves up what I want, and I don't have to sift through anything or discern it. Slowly, we lose the spiritual muscle it takes to actually wait on the Lord. This week in our series on discerning God's voice, we're talking about the patience that listening requires. If we aren't prepared to wait on the Lord, we risk taking matters into our own hands, or passively missing out on something rich God has for us. So we'll look at what active waiting is, why it's so hard, and what the disciples in Acts 1 teach us about living fully while we wait.
What We Cover
Almost all of us are waiting on something. We're waiting for a relationship to begin, for the next step in our career, for a diagnosis to clear, for grief to pass. But we don't have to wait passively. We can wait actively.
Here's how I define it: active waiting is living in the present moment to the fullest, so we can actively look for signs of what's to come. It doesn't mean we stop existing or stop serving. That's the opposite of active waiting.
In this episode, we talk about:
<ul dir="ltr">
<li>Why waiting feels so vulnerable. It makes us face how little control we actually have, and it puts us in a position of surrender.</li>
<li>Jesus's last words before His ascension. His command was to wait, along with clear marching orders to be His witnesses.</li>
<li>How the disciples stayed active in the waiting. They prayed, gathered, made decisions together, and rejoiced until the Holy Spirit came.</li>
<li>Why none of us are in a waiting room. Whether you're in a season of active service or a season where you have to trust and rely on your relationship with God, you have a role to play in the kingdom.</li>
<li>The question I hear so often: Should I keep asking God for the answer? If asking brings you into deeper alignment with Him, keep asking. But if it makes you more impatient and self-absorbed, stop asking and start serving. God has not forgotten you or your request.</li>
</ul>
This is the day the Lord has made. Even without the answer, you can rejoice and be glad in it, and trust that He has heard your prayer.
Scriptures Referenced: Psalm 5:3, Psalm 27:14, Psalm 38:15, Psalm 130:5, Psalm 118:24, Psalm 37:4, Acts 1:3&ndash;11, Ecclesiastes 3:1
Want More?
<ul dir="ltr">
<li>Grab the free decision-making guide: <a href="https://nicoleunice.kit.com/discernment">nicoleunice.com/decisions</a></li>
<li>Book mentioned: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/0061686158?lv=shuf&amp;channelId=500&amp;plpRedirect=mhFallback">Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life by Henri Nouwen</a></li>
</ul>

As Christians, we want to experience God through the Bible… we really do!

But our good intentions fall flat when reading the Bible just doesn’t seem to help us experience God in a real way. What should feel dynamic and important and alive often feels confusing and boring and irrelevant. But it doesn’t have to feel this way.

In this bible study podcast, pastor and Bible teacher Nicole Unice brings life back to reading the Bible by walking listeners through her Alive Method of Bible study, helping us personally encounter God through His Word by giving us a practical, clear road map for understanding, interpreting and applying Scripture to our lives. 

Topics covered in this podcast:

💡 Three Common Obstacles to Understanding the Bible
💡The Basics of Bible Study (Observation, Interpretation) and How to Apple the Bible to Your Life
💡Deep Dive into Bible Studies by Books of the Bible (We've covered Ecclesiastes, Romans, Matthew, and more!)
💡 Topical Bible study lessons on Joy, Contentment, Prayer and more
💡 Spiritual Rhythms: Creating New Rhythms in Your Life
💡 4 Principles You Need to Interpret Difficult Scripture

To find more from Nicole, visit https://nicoleunice.com/.

As Christians, we want to experience God through the Bible… we really do! But our good intentions fall flat when reading the Bible just doesn’t seem to help us experience God in a real way. What should feel dynamic and important and alive often feels confusing and boring and irrelevant. But it doesn’t have to feel this way. In this bible study podcast, pastor and Bible teacher Nicole Unice brings life back to reading the Bible by walking listeners through her Alive Method of Bible study, helping us personally encounter God through His Word by giving us a practical, clear road map for understanding, interpreting and applying Scripture to our lives. 
Topics covered in this podcast:
💡 Three Common Obstacles to Understanding the Bible 💡The Basics of Bible Study (Observation, Interpretation) and How to Apple the Bible to Your Life 💡Deep Dive into Bible Studies by Books of the Bible (We've covered Ecclesiastes, Romans, Matthew, and more!) 💡 Topical Bible study lessons on Joy, Contentment, Prayer and more 💡 Spiritual Rhythms: Creating New Rhythms in Your Life 💡 4 Principles You Need to Interpret Difficult Scripture
To find more from Nicole, visit <a href="https://nicoleunice.com/">https://nicoleunice.com/</a>.

How to Study the Bible - Bible Study Made Simple

As Christians, we want to experience God through the Bible… we really do!

But our good intentions fall flat when reading the Bible just doesn’t seem to help us experience God in a real way. What should feel dynamic and important and alive often feels confusing and boring and irrelevant. But it doesn’t have to feel this way.

In this bible study podcast, pastor and Bible teacher Nicole Unice brings life back to reading the Bible by walking listeners through her Alive Method of Bible study, helping us personally encounter God through His Word by giving us a practical, clear road map for understanding, interpreting and applying Scripture to our lives. 

Topics covered in this podcast:

💡 Common Obstacles to Understanding the Bible
💡The Basics of Bible Study (Observation, Interpretation) and How to Apple the Bible to Your Life
💡Deep Dive into Bible Studies by Books of the Bible (We've covered Ecclesiastes, Romans, Matthew, and more!)
💡 Topical Bible Study Lessons on Joy, Contentment, Prayer and More
💡 Spiritual Rhythms: Creating New Rhythms in Your Life
💡 Principles You Need to Interpret Difficult Scripture

To find more from Nicole, visit https://nicoleunice.com/.

As Christians, we want to experience God through the Bible… we really do! But our good intentions fall flat when reading the Bible just doesn’t seem to help us experience God in a real way. What should feel dynamic and important and alive often feels confusing and boring and irrelevant. But it doesn’t have to feel this way. In this bible study podcast, pastor and Bible teacher Nicole Unice brings life back to reading the Bible by walking listeners through her Alive Method of Bible study, helping us personally encounter God through His Word by giving us a practical, clear road map for understanding, interpreting and applying Scripture to our lives. 
Topics covered in this podcast:
💡 Common Obstacles to Understanding the Bible 💡The Basics of Bible Study (Observation, Interpretation) and How to Apple the Bible to Your Life 💡Deep Dive into Bible Studies by Books of the Bible (We've covered Ecclesiastes, Romans, Matthew, and more!) 💡 Topical Bible Study Lessons on Joy, Contentment, Prayer and More 💡 Spiritual Rhythms: Creating New Rhythms in Your Life 💡 Principles You Need to Interpret Difficult Scripture
To find more from Nicole, visit <a href="https://nicoleunice.com/">https://nicoleunice.com/</a>.

How To Study The Bible - Bible Study Made Simple

Waiting for God's Voice: What to Do When God Hasn't Answered Yet

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/e769f23c-c65f-43aa-8afa-b4d2013e160d/transcript