Hearing God's Voice, Recognizing His Nudges & Why Most People Miss the Moment

I was an atheist.

One Sunday morning I woke up and there was his voice clear as practically in the room that said, You're going to church today.

Okay.

And my response was, what?

Yeah.

I don't go to church.

I'm not a believer.

Welcome to the Midweek Motivation Podcast, where we bring practical help for your faith and life.

Here's today's episode.

Welcome to this week's Midweek Motivation.

My name is Jess, and I have an awesome friend here, Rita.

And um we so um we're gonna jump into a great topic that I that Rita, you are excellent at.

Like you're a pro at this.

God's trained you up really, really great.

But I think I think that the um important question is um, what if the most important thing that was supposed to happen this week didn't?

And um not because it it not because God didn't show up, but because um we didn't recognize the moment, right?

And we didn't step into it.

So um today my friend Rita is here, and uh, I'm telling you, I don't know anybody who is better in tuned to the nudge of God than you, Rita.

And so uh so we're gonna jump into this conversation, and I really would love for you to just share your um experience, your expertise, like God's just fashioned you into this person.

But um before we jump into that conversation, you want to share a little bit about yourself?

Yes, I will.

I think um what I'd like people to know most about me is that I'm an apologetically a disciple and a follower of Jesus Christ.

Yeah.

And I say that because of my background of being an atheist, an active atheist, I may add, for 13 years before God spoke to me.

This guy that I didn't believe in spoke to me.

Yeah.

And called me into himself.

And I've been walking with him for 43 years, August 18th this year.

That's awesome.

So it's been a journey.

Yeah.

No kidding.

Exciting.

I wish we had time to dive into all the questions around that.

Yeah.

But that's who that's who I am.

Yeah.

And I've been at West Side, it'll be 10 years, uh Labor Day.

Yeah.

This Labor Day.

Yeah.

So that's been wild.

Yeah, and fun.

An amazing blessing too.

It's really cool.

Um, I uh love I love that you blow my mind when we have these conversations and and you just share with me the thing that you did last night or yesterday, or you know.

Yeah.

Like God's moving all the time.

Yeah.

And and you'll like every once in a while just be like, oh yeah, like this is my new friend, whoever it might be that I met like at Safeway.

And so um uh based on your like on your background and and what you just shared with us about you know your your your faith, um, how did you uh come to the point where you were able to actually, I guess, discern or hear the nudge of God?

Like, does that make sense, the question I'm asking?

Yes.

It actually was initially immediate.

Like I said, I was um an atheist.

And one morning I Sunday morning, one Sunday morning I woke up and there was his voice clear as practically in the room that said, You're going to church today.

Okay.

And my response was, what?

Yeah.

I don't go to church, I'm not a believer.

And so I was, but it was a very clear statement.

It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

Wow.

And so while I was continuing arguing, it was back in the day, I was heading into the kitchen to find my yellow pages to um look for a church.

Okay.

But still arguing.

Yeah.

So I look for uh look in the yellow pages for churches, saw there was a Catholic church on Walker Road.

That was my background, so I went for a familiar.

Okay.

Found the address.

We didn't have any.

There was no maps.

Right.

This is 43 years ago.

Yeah.

So there were no maps.

No Google Maps.

No Google Maps.

But I knew where Walker Road was.

So I headed down and I followed the traffic.

Yeah.

And um, there was people out there directing traffic, cars going in.

I'm like, okay, I guess I'm just going following these cars, got in there, got in to the into the park, got in the lobby, and it was like, wow, these people are really happy.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Oh.

They were excited, they were happy.

They were like, he's gonna start.

We gotta get in, he's gonna start.

There was like this excitement.

And so I went in, sat in the back, very quietly, sat in the back.

And it was then Pastor Ron Mel, who's who has passed on since, um, spoke and I heard the gospel.

And then I just kept coming back.

Oh my gosh, that's incredible.

It gives me chills, like tingles every time I talked to him about these things.

That's so yeah, I just kept coming back, and this young man apparently got the assignment to talk with me.

Okay.

And I had I had a lot of questions.

I was I was probably exhausting to him.

And then one night we were standing in the parking lot, and he just said, Rita, I have told you everything that I can tell you.

But he said, You have a hardened heart.

Wow.

And when he said that, I was it was like it was, it was like almost like a physical back and like a sword through my heart, because it was the truth.

And that's one thing that um I've always wanted to know is the truth.

Even if I don't necessarily like it.

Yeah.

Or if it doesn't agree with what I currently believe.

Yeah, that's awesome.

I agree.

I tell people that all the time.

If you are looking for the truth, you are going to find it.

You find it.

Yeah.

Even if you don't like it.

Yeah.

So that's where we started hearing his voice.

That's awesome.

I love it.

Thanks for sharing.

Okay.

Well, so so that's your first experience with God, really.

It's it sounds like.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And uh, and so being able to really just recognize God talking to you and the the nudges and stuff, it sounds pretty immediate.

It was.

Yeah.

But then it grew.

Yeah.

Okay.

Well, so tell me about that then, because I think that there's a lot of um, like even for me, like I how do you recognize, how do you put your finger on and point to uh, oh my gosh, this is a God moment and know that it's a God moment, and then have the boldness to step into it, the courage to step into it, you know.

Well, the first thing I would say is um know scripture.

I mean, the first thing is like if you know the word of God is most important thing.

Yeah.

Because the first get in the Bible, read the Bible.

What does it say?

Study, you know, online, go to groups, listen, you know, take notes, read, read, do it daily, do whatever you can do to get the word in your heart, to know what the word says.

Because one thing that is absolutely non-negotiable is if you believe you're hearing from God, it must absolutely, without exception, line up with his word and his character.

Agreed.

And that is the first step.

Yeah.

And if it doesn't, it's not him.

Awesome.

Done.

Yeah.

I've I read a book, um, and I've shared this before.

I've shared it so many times, I don't remember who with, but um, the author said something like the the um Bible is the language of the Holy Spirit.

So, like when God's trying to get a hold of you, if you know the Bible, if you know scripture, he like for me personally, that scripture will pop into my head.

Absolutely.

Or s or uh uh something that, like you said, you you said aligns with God's character.

We learn what God's character looks like by getting into the word of God, learning who he is.

Absolutely and so if uh if God wants to like smack me upside the head because my thoughts aren't, you know, then then he'll like I'll be thinking about something and he'll throw something into my head that will realign me, you know.

So yeah, that's good stuff.

And the word also says that um his sheep know his voice.

So if you're a sheep and you're in the word, yeah, there's a better chance you're gonna recognize his voice.

Yeah.

And like any relationship, you're gonna recognize it more quickly.

Yeah, because you know the language.

It's like a because you know the language.

Yeah, yeah.

It's like this is kind of a little bit of a rabbit trail, but but knowing that you could recognize like um my husband was a musician, and we were at a a wedding reception and there was a a jazz trio there.

And um, I was just wandering around, chatting with people, and all of a sudden I was like, that's David on the keyboards.

Yeah, you just recognize the wow.

And that's because of the familiarity.

Yeah.

And that's that's how it is with God and a relationship because it's unique.

Yeah.

It's unique to each relationship to be able to say, Oh, that's my father's voice.

Yeah.

Recognize it.

Yeah, not a rabbit trail at all.

I like it.

Very cool.

Well, speak to the musicians.

Yeah.

So what else?

What like what what other things do you think are indications that you're talking about?

The other indication, and I did um, I did actually spot that this morning as God was talking with me uh today, and I was asking him, because one of the the things that I learned early on was persistent.

Okay.

Like if I believe I heard something from God, I would just say, okay, God, if that's really you, like have it just like in my head.

And if it's not, have it just go away.

Okay.

Yeah.

And that has happened.

Yeah.

Whereas like two days later, it's like, oh, I didn't hadn't even thought about that.

Versus, I cannot shake this thing.

Yeah.

And in Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, um, described it as, and of course, this was shown to me this morning.

I picked this up, and this little note just kind of fluttered to the ground.

And I'm like, that's an interesting flutter.

I feel like I should pay attention.

I should pay attention.

I wonder where that was.

And it was just like, look where your thumb is.

Because I had opened the book and this fellow.

I don't know if it was in that spot.

Yeah.

But what he says, um, I know when the instructions have come from God because of their quiet persistence.

Okay.

And it is a quiet persistence.

Just it won't go away.

It won't go away.

Yeah.

And it won't go away.

Yeah.

And that is a and then he talks about when we get like debate into our mind and we start kind of intellectualizing it, it can move you away.

I was I was about to ask that.

Because I think there's a a lot of in my personal experiences, a lot of times when I shut up God's voice.

And we can.

Sure.

Yeah.

Sure.

With distraction or whatever, but that's not uh that's not the situation that that you're talking about here.

Like you're talking about making space for that quiet persistence, right?

Yeah.

Making space for it.

And he talks and he talks about that if you'd like me to read more into that.

Yeah, please.

Um, so he says, I know when the instructions have come from God because of the quiet persistence, but when I begin to weigh the pros and cons and doubt and debate, because I'm very linear, I'm very logical, I'm very pragmatic, so that's really easy for me to do, that enter in my mind, I am bringing in an element that is not of God.

This will only result in my concluding that his instructions to me were not right.

Many of us are faithful to our ideal ideas about Jesus Christ, but how many of us are faithful to Jesus Himself?

That's huge.

Yeah.

Especially when he gives you something big.

Right?

Yeah.

So you so it like uh in my own words, I guess, of re rephrasing that, it's uh um the things that are actually important to you show up in the things that you do.

Yeah, true.

Yeah, and I can talk myself out of stuff.

Yeah, same easily.

Okay, awesome.

Well, so was there uh was there a has has there been a moment, I guess, where you recognized the um nudge of God that you can like share with us that Yeah, yeah.

Um it happens a lot when he's wanted me to talk to someone.

But just recently, last night, um I got a I got a prayer need from a friend.

I'll just call him Bob for general.

General, it's not his name.

And there was a very strong, and sometimes the quiet persistent is louder.

Yeah, sometimes it depends on the urgency.

And it was like, call Bob.

And I'm like, oh okay.

And then I started going to the kitchen doing call Bob.

I guess I guess I better call Bob.

So I did, and um my friend, and uh, he was just in a really bad spot.

And he needed that phone call.

Just needed some encouragement or yeah.

Words of encouragement, words of the word, the word.

He needed the word to say, this is who you are, this is who you are in Christ.

You're gonna be okay.

I'm here.

And I'm with you.

And and then that continued for some texting and more conversation last night, more conversation this morning, and um just getting him through a very, very rough time.

But God is faithful.

And so I just reminded him of the word.

And and one of that was who he is in Christ.

And that I was here to remind to not only remind him of that, but I think this morning I said, um you know where it says to sp that we put on the full armor of God and then we stand, and then we stand.

Yeah.

You stand and then you stand.

And then the first next thing it says is you buckle on, you put on the the belt of truth.

So I just texted him and said, buckling on the belt of truth for you, and I'm standing.

Oh, that's awesome.

So could have been a critical time of maybe just not wanting to be here right now.

Yeah.

Wow.

That's that's a that's an interesting thing to push on too, I think.

And uh and that is the idea that uh, like I said at the very beginning, like what if I didn't?

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

What if I didn't what if you don't step into those nudges, you know?

And and through the years I have had that, and it's devastating when you when you know that you were told but you hesitated or you logiced it out, and then the consequences of that, you know, if God's calling you to just do it.

Yeah.

Because some the the um some of that has happened, and it's been devastating to me personally, and um and um globally in the things I was called to pray for, and I freaked out and didn't, or you know, a thing that a crazy thing that he was called me to do, and then find out that that person died, and I'm like, wow.

So yeah.

So some harsh lessons, but then also, you know, God uses who he uses.

Yeah, yeah.

So there may have been someone that he's like, oh, I'll send that person before that person takes her final breath, and that's okay.

Yeah.

But I'd like to say be used.

Choose me.

So yeah, yeah.

Uh I'm I'm looking up the scripture right now because I was in preparation for this.

I was looking up in Ruth, and I gotta find the right scripture, so this might take me a second, but um because she was called to do some pretty crazy things.

Yeah, she was, and man, she got called out hardcore on it, too, didn't she?

So I'm looking for the right scripture.

So Caleb, you might have to edit some of this out.

But it also doesn't mean it's fully on your shoulders.

God just may have had to move on to another person.

True.

I think it was great training.

That's the I think that's the thing that um that I want to call out.

I um I had the scripture here somewhere and I don't I can't find it now.

But context.

Huh?

It was Ruth.

Yeah, it's Ruth.

And it was um wait, was it Ruth?

Was it Esther?

It was Esther.

Esther.

That's why I can't find it.

That's why you can't find it.

It's funny how that goes.

There you go.

Um the so it is Esther.

Um, maybe you were born for just such a time as this.

Okay, I'm not gonna look for the scripture.

Oh, it's Esther four.

Um, who knows who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.

So the the um the reason why the scripture came to mind is because what you just laid out is uh mirrors that experience that Esther had, right?

Where I think it's Mordecai, right, is uh coming to Esther and he's like, Hey, who knows?

Like this could be why you are where you are.

And if you don't act, don't think that you're going to like get away scot-free.

Yeah, get away from from having to deal with the consequences, deal with God will still work.

He's still gonna work, but He's chosen you.

He right.

And if you don't do it, then you don't get to get used, right?

And the and then there are like consequences for not stepping out and being obedient in that.

And and like I don't say that to be all ooh, you know, like because uh consequences to me are um are um not benign, what's the word?

It they're neutral.

The the idea of consequent is consequence is new neutral, but if we engage, then the consequences of being used by God in the way that he called us is positive.

The consequence of not being used is could very well be negative in some way.

So yeah, neutral at best and negative at worst.

Right.

Yeah, yeah.

So uh I don't know.

I just the the picture that you're painting from real life experience mirrors Esther so much that I was like, oh yeah, we need to point that out, I think.

Yeah.

She had a rough road.

She did, she had really rough road, but God abused her in huge, incredible ways.

Yeah, exactly.

Yeah, so good.

Okay, well, so um I think the the next question I have for you really is um what if you're talking to somebody who maybe hasn't learned how to hear God's nudge or recognize it?

Um, or maybe they have, but they've uh like me so many times, have been like, I don't know why you're tapping me on the shoulder, God.

Like, no.

Yeah.

Um, what like what kind of encouragement would you offer them?

Like how uh how would you encourage them to take a practical next step?

Next step is don't explain it away.

Okay.

Just don't explain it away.

Okay.

Or don't say, well, no, why me?

It's he why me?

Because you're you and you're unique to the situation that he knows about that you don't know.

Yeah.

So don't explain it away and ask, which is kind of a very simple thing.

It's like when um uh Samuel and Elijah.

Yes, you know, he was saying, you know, calling his name, calling his name, and he kept thinking it was Elijah.

Yeah and then Elijah being wise said, Hey Samuel, that's God.

Yeah, yeah.

And so, and this is such a simple thing.

Yeah.

So, so for for like clarity of context, Samuel uh Samuel is uh apprenticing, right?

And he keeps he keeps on getting woken up in the middle of the night by this voice, and he is assuming that it's Elijah who is calling his name.

So he gets up and he goes to check on Elijah, who is old and you know needs to be looked after.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And so, so Samuel, Samuel, like three times he goes to Elijah, right?

Right.

Yeah, he says, and is like, I haven't called you, and it happens again.

He's like, I didn't call you, happens again.

And then Elijah was like, Oh, I think I need to mentor Samuel.

Yeah, and say to hear the hear if this is God speaking to you, and when he does, and this is where my point was going to is speak, Lord, your servant is listening.

Such a simple thing, but wow, powerful.

Yeah.

So a practical advice would be like, okay, speaking.

Be like Samuel.

Yeah.

Be like Samuel.

Speak, Lord.

Your servant is listening, and then listen.

Yeah.

Listen and then listen.

And then listen.

And then that's so good.

I love it.

And it's so simple.

It's so simple.

Yeah.

Very easy to explain away, though.

Right.

So let's not do that.

Don't do that.

Just don't.

Yeah.

Take the moment and listen.

So good.

Awesome.

Well, thank you so much for joining and just sharing your your expertise and your wisdom.

Like you have so much spiritual wisdom that I I love having conversations with you.

So thanks for sharing.

Thank you, Jess.

Yeah.

Hey, can I ask you?

You are um on our prayer team.

Yes.

Yeah.

Can I ask you to pray us out?

Yes.

Yes.

Awesome.

Thank you.

Father God, we praise you.

We thank you for the mighty God that you are amazing.

You are more than we can ever imagine.

And Father, I thank you for the ones that you have brought to listen to this today.

Father, that the hearts are open.

And the hearts do want to learn.

And Father, I thank you for those open hearts.

And just um thank you for the work that you're doing in every person's life that are hearing these words today whenever they hear them, that they would listen and obey.

In Jesus' name I pray.

Amen.

Amen.

Awesome.

Thanks, my friend.

You're welcome.

All right, guys, we'll catch you next time.

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