Good Morning, Friends!
It’s a brand-new week, and I’m thrilled to kick off this series on Discerning the Voice of God. If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I hearing from God, or is this just my own thoughts?”—you’re not alone. I’ve been there, and today, we’re diving into the journey of learning to recognize His voice in our lives.
Key Takeaways:
Spiritual Insight: God’s voice is clearer when we bring our intrusive thoughts into the light.
Personal Story Impact: Years of shame and hidden thoughts kept me bound, but vulnerability set me free.
Scripture Application: Psalm 139, James 5:16, and Philippians 4:8 reveal the power of exposing hidden struggles.
Practical Action Step: Find a trusted person or community to share burdens with and bring struggles into the light.
Emotional Transformation: Freedom comes when we stop fighting our battles alone and trust God’s grace fully.
The Battle in Our Minds
I used to believe that speaking out my struggles would give them power. Proverbs tells us, “The power of life and death is in the tongue,” and I took that to mean I needed to keep quiet about my intrusive thoughts. But what if I told you the opposite is true?
Science and Scripture both show us that exposing darkness to the light kills it. When we keep our fears, doubts, and shame buried, they fester. But when we bring them into the open—whether through prayer, journaling, or trusted community—we take away their power. James 5:16 says, “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” Healing comes in the exposure, not in the secrecy.
Breaking Free from Shame
For years, shame was my silent captor. I carried it everywhere, assuming that my ugliest thoughts defined me. But here’s the truth: our thoughts are not our identity. Just because a thought enters your mind doesn’t mean it belongs to you. The enemy loves to whisper lies, making us believe we are our worst thoughts. But God’s word tells us differently:
Psalm 139:23-24 – “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.”
Philippians 4:8 – “Keep your thoughts fixed on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable.”
Ephesians 5:13 – “Everything exposed by the light becomes visible, and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.”
Healing Through Vulnerability
One of the most freeing moments in my life was when I confessed to my husband, Eric, that I had struggled with the thought of divorce for years. Not because I wanted to leave, but because that intrusive thought had taken root in my mind. The moment I spoke it out loud, it lost its power. Instead of reacting in anger, he helped me carry the burden. And you know what? That thought died right there.
God never intended for us to fight our battles alone. We are meant to live in community. We need safe spaces where we can say, “This thought is tormenting me, but I know it’s not from God.”
Fear Is Not Your Identity
Fear is a liar. It tells you that you must control everything, that God can’t be trusted, that you’re not enough. But fear is not from God. The enemy wants to keep you paralyzed, but God invites you into a life of freedom.
2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.” The more we walk with Him, the more we learn to trust Him. And trust doesn’t happen overnight. It’s built through small, daily choices to release control and surrender to God’s love.
The Invitation: Let’s Walk This Out Together
We’re just getting started with this series, and I want to challenge you this week:
Identify one intrusive thought that has been weighing on you.
Speak it out loud in prayer or share it with someone you trust.
Replace it with God’s truth. (Hint: Philippians 4:8 is a great place to start!)
You don’t have to clean yourself up before coming to God. He meets you in your mess. The prodigal son didn’t get a shower before his father embraced him—his father ran to him just as he was. That’s the heart of God.
Let’s keep walking this out together. More tomorrow. Love you all!
With grace and light,
Celeste
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