Anxiety over discerning what God is calling me to do?

[Christiandiscernment]

I am looking for someone who thinks like me and have grown in these areas. For years I’ve struggled with discerning where or how God is leading. For instance: I will have a thought come to mind about someone and wonder if it came to mind because God wants me to share. Then I have extreme anxiety over if he wants me to. But usually it’s would be a rebuke for someone I don’t know well. So then I’m like well they are not in my inner circle so I shouldn’t say anything but then I’m left with they anxiety of “well what if it’s what God wants me to do” does he want to surpass the so called wisdom to share it with that person. So I can’t figure out if it’s just this what if fear of disobeying him that I can’t be certain of, or if I have anxiety because I need to share it. Usually I just want to share it so I can stop obsessing over it and the what if doesn’t linger around me

 

[Unqualified]

I am looking for someone who thinks like me and have grown in these areas. For years I’ve struggled with discerning where or how God is leading. For instance: I will have a thought come to mind about someone and wonder if it came to mind because God wants me to share. Then I have extreme anxiety over if he wants me to. But usually it’s would be a rebuke for someone I don’t know well. So then I’m like well they are not in my inner circle so I shouldn’t say anything but then I’m left with they anxiety of “well what if it’s what God wants me to do” does he want to surpass the so called wisdom to share it with that person. So I can’t figure out if it’s just this what if fear of disobeying him that I can’t be certain of, or if I have anxiety because I need to share it. Usually I just want to share it so I can stop obsessing over it and the what if doesn’t linger around me

Don’t gossip, don’t be negative, rebuke to and as a friend. Everything in our minds is not wisdom. Read the Word of God or counsel with you pastor if you have questions. Be slow to speak, quick to listen, quick to forgive.’ Especially if you are just learning. You don’t want to offend anybody. These are just some guidelines to help.

 

[ari.sketch]

I've been praying for wisdom and discernment not just in God's calling in my life, but in all areas of my life, trying to learn how to hear God's voice, be spirit led, etc ... and I have to say, hasn't been easy peachy lemon squeezy. I would get discouraged in my progress as well ... but then, it was also me that say 'nothing good come easy'.

If I could ask some questions first before going further with this topic,

1. How close is your walk with God?
2. How often do you read the Bible, get into the word of God?
3. Do you belong to a church, are you in a ministry, under a leadership?

Just wanted to clear some things first so I know where we stand

 

[Christiandiscernment]

I would say I walk pretty closely with him throughout my days. Prayer, repentance, reminders of truth by the spirit. I get in the word almost everyday. I belong to a church, I worked for a college ministry, now I don’t.

 

[ari.sketch]

There's a few things I want to address,

1. Feeling nervous or fear to act when God wants us to do something.
- First of all, we need to know it really come from God (wisdom and discernment, and a close walk with God).
- It's normal to feel nervous or scared. But here's the beauty of it, if we feel scared or inadequate, that's because we are, which compelled us to rely on the Holy Spirit (which is what God wants us to do).
- Find out why you're feeling scared. Is it the fear of rejection, the fear of man, etc.

2. Feeling of extreme anxiety when you didn't do it.
This is somewhat concerning. Because if it's from God, and say, we failed. God may reprimand or convict us, but He does so with love and will give us hope, not a feeling of dread or anxiety. Find out if this is really from God.

3. Rebuking others
This is very touchy and very tricky, need to approach with a lot of wisdom. We really need to be sure it's from God.
It's very easy to point out someone else's shortcomings. Sometimes it's very glaring, and a lot of times the enemy will point it out to us as well.

Are there times for rebukes, yes, but we really, really need to be sure it's from God and we need to ask God what we are to do with the information.
Here's a good article about rebukes.
When is it necessary to rebuke another believer? | GotQuestions.org

Do you have an accountability partner? Someone you can talk to and share about your Christian journey, struggles, etc., someone that can help you keep accountable?

And presently, do you submit to or is under any church leaders or leadership? Who will guide you in your ministry and also protect you as well.

Speaking as a friend/brother in Christ, if you felt that God wanted you to do something then felt extreme anxiety because you didn't do it ... I would really question if it came from God in the first place.

If you are in a church, find a leader that you can trust and look up to, talk to them about your issue and your desire to find your calling, make no mistake about it, you are called and there's a great calling in your life. But we need to be equipped for our calling.

I wish you the best in your calling, I know for certain God has called you and you have a purpose. Will pray that you will be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

I'm trying to find out God's direction in my life as well, I feel like I'm in a 'transition' phase right now, so at the moment I'm just seeking His presence, find out what's next on my journey.

 

[OldAbramBrown]

- figure out whether someone else can help that person instead / as well
- ask God to make something happen, without you firstly
- treat the issues as practical ones and cheerful ones
- we are all meant to make the church better
- the real solution / problem may / may not involve far more people. Who or more likely what, is holding that person / everybody back? Pray about them / it mainly instead, then about this person's welfare
- perhaps the church / home groups doesn't / don't hold enough / good enough prayer meetings about a large range of issues that are adversely impacting individuals, who don't need to be singled out

Our own thoughts appear to take up a large amount of our own headspace. Since I've grown old I have become more deadpan about this! The trick is to realise that like Dr Who's Tardis my head is bigger than it looks! I can lay the issues down tidily and pick them up another better time.

(There used to be a marvellous page-long strip in a comic of my young day, "The Numskulls".)