There are some words in Scripture that don’t immediately sound comforting - correction is one of them. Most of us don’t wake up hoping someone will point out where we’re wrong. We don’t naturally welcome having our motives examined, our choices challenged, or our direction redirected.
A few weeks ago on the Connect blog and podcast, we talked about Jesus flipping tables. Some of us are uncomfortable with the idea of Jesus being angry, and that discomfort could extend to God’s correction as well. However, God’s correction can be a sign that you belong to Him - let’s unpack this angle!
“Are You not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One? … O Lord, You have appointed them for judgment; O Rock, You have marked them for correction.”
—Habakkuk 1:12
I usually skip the history lesson, but this one is too good (and y’all know I love the history! Please stay with me - you’ll see the value!). The book of Habakkuk opens with the phrase the “burden which the prophet Habakkuk saw”. God gave him eyes to see what was wrong, and then the burden of speaking it. Not an easy calling.
Unlike many prophets who primarily delivered messages to the people, Habakkuk’s book is largely a conversation between the prophet and God. He brings his questions and complaints to God, and God answers him. Judah was experiencing tremendous violence, injustice, corruption, and spiritual decline. Habakkuk looks around and essentially asks, “God, how long are You going to let this continue?”
Habakkuk isn’t a prophet standing comfortably outside the problem, telling everyone else what they’re doing wrong. He’s a prophet who is also struggling to understand God’s correction while living in the middle of a very difficult moment. We can relate to this for sure.
In its immediate context, Habakkuk is talking about God’s judgment of Judah through the Babylonians. But tucked inside this difficult conversation is a phrase that carries a beautiful truth about the character of God: “You have marked them for correction.”
There is more comfort in those words than we might initially realize, because correction is not rejection when it comes from a loving father: correction is protection.
God's Correction: Life Was Hard for a Prophet
Habakkuk was not writing from a place of ease. He looked around and saw violence, injustice, destruction, and corruption. He brought his questions honestly before God: “How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen?” (Habakkuk 1:2)
God answered him, but the answer created another question: God was going to use the Babylonians to bring judgment upon Judah.
Habakkuk couldn’t understand it, so he waited. He stood at his watchpost and said: “I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me.” (Habakkuk 2:1)
I love that picture: Habakkuk didn’t understand what God was doing, but he positioned himself to listen. Correction requires a posture of listening.
In this position of trust and surrender, God reminded him of something that is easy to forget when life is confusing: God is still God.
Habakkuk begins his prayer by remembering who God is: “Are You not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One?”
Before Habakkuk talks about what God is doing, he reminds himself of who God is.
This reminder was necessary. When we don’t understand God’s correction, we can easily begin to question His character. We start to wonder: Does God really love me? Is He angry with me? Have I disappointed Him? Why is He allowing this?
Or maybe we just wonder: Why won’t He just leave me alone?
Scripture gives us another way to understand correction.
God's Correction Is a Sign of Relationship
A loving parent doesn’t allow a child to continue unchecked in behavior that will ultimately harm them. When a toddler runs toward a busy street, a good parent doesn’t stand back and say, “Well, I don’t want to hurt their feelings.”
They intervene. They stop them. They correct them. Not because they want to control, but because they love their child. The correction is protection.
God does the same with us.
Hebrews 12:5-6 tells us: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”
Notice the connection: the Lord disciplines the one He loves.
God's correction is not evidence that God has turned His back on you. God's correction is evidence that He is invested in you.
A parent who has completely given up on a child may stop correcting them, but a loving parent keeps teaching, guiding, redirecting, protecting.
God’s correction says: I love you too much to leave you here.
God's Correction: God Corrects What Could Harm Us
We sometimes think of correction as punishment, but God’s correction is often more like a road sign.
Wrong direction. Turn around. Danger ahead. This way is better.
God sees what we cannot see. He knows where our choices are leading. He knows what unchecked attitudes will eventually produce. He knows what unforgiveness will do to our hearts. He knows where pride will take us. He knows what compromise will cost us. He knows what our need for control is doing to us. He knows when busyness is becoming an identity. He knows when our striving has replaced our dependence.
And because He loves us, He is willing to interrupt us.
Sometimes His correction comes through Scripture.
Sometimes through the quiet conviction of the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes through a trusted friend.
Sometimes through circumstances that expose something we have been unwilling to see.
Sometimes God simply brings something to our attention that we can no longer ignore.
When He does, our first response shouldn’t necessarily be fear: our first response should be gratitude.
If God is revealing something, He is also inviting us to do something about it.
Correction is a kindness.
God's Correction: Conviction Is Not Condemnation
This distinction matters. Condemnation says, “You are bad.” Conviction says, “This is not who you were created to be.”
Condemnation pushes us away from God. Conviction draws us toward Him.
Condemnation tells us to hide. Conviction invites us to come into the light.
Romans 8:1 reminds us: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Be prepared: there may be pain in correction, there may even be consequences.
Be encouraged: there will be an opportunity for repentance, there will be opportunity for greater surrender.
Viewed in this light, correction itself is one of the clearest demonstrations of His love.
What If You Welcome God's Correction?
What if instead of immediately becoming defensive when God reveals something in us, we became curious?
What if we prayed: “Lord, what are You trying to show me?”
What if we stopped asking only, “Why is this happening to me?” and started asking, “What are You inviting me to learn?”
What if we understood God's correction not as God pointing a finger at us, but as God extending a hand toward us?
Instead of ending the conversation with “Why won’t He just leave me alone?”, we can continue the conversation with “thank You, Lord, for loving me enough not to leave me here”. That is an invitation to the Holy Spirit - “Lord, please continue Your work in me”.
Take a selah there. Pause and think about that.
What if we became people who could pray like David in Psalm 139: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Throughout Scripture, correction is not presented as evidence that God has abandoned His people. Quite the opposite. God corrects because He loves. And that’s a truth we can lean into, confident that God’s correction is molding us into something beautiful.
Habakkuk didn’t get every answer he wanted. He didn’t get an explanation that tied everything up neatly. What he received was an invitation to trust the character of God.
Sometimes that’s what we receive when God corrects us, too. We may not immediately understand why He is asking us to surrender something. We may not see what He sees. We may not understand what He is protecting us from.
But we can trust the heart of the One who is correcting us.
Habakkuk lands here, and gives us an excellent example to follow. He simply says,
“But the Lord is in His holy temple.Let all the earth keep silence before Him.” Habakkuk 2:20
Sometimes God’s correction makes us uncomfortable because we don’t have the whole picture. But Habakkuk shows us: we don’t have to have the whole picture. We just have to trust the One who does. Trust Him to know what you do not know. Trust Him to have your best in His heart.
From the shock of Jesus flipping tables to the peace of receiving God's correction with surrender - I’d love for you to take the conversation a little further with me on this week’s episode of the Connect Podcast. You can subscribe here so you never miss an episode!
If you’re looking for a place to grow deeper in your walk with Christ while serving faithfully in ministry, I’d love to invite you into the Connect Mentoring Network. It’s a community created for women in ministry who want to lead well without losing themselves in the process. You’ll find biblical resources, on-demand courses, mentoring, a private community of women in ministry, and practical encouragement to help you lead from a place of health rather than exhaustion.
You were never meant to navigate ministry or life alone. I’d love to stay connected with you through the podcast and, if it’s the right fit for you, welcome you into the Connect Mentoring Network community.
Let’s keep growing, learning, and pursuing Christ together. Thanks for spending this time with me today. I’ll talk to you soon!
Have you ever noticed that some of the most powerful spiritual disciplines are also some of the most misunderstood? Prayer. Worship. Sabbath. Giving.
And fasting.
For many believers, the word “fasting” immediately brings up images of extreme sacrifice: a 40-day fast, no food or water, something so difficult that it feels impossible for the average Christian to practice. And because we misunderstand it, many of us miss the gift God intended it to be.
Recently, I heard a phrase in a song that caught my attention: “The devil wants to extend the game: free throws.” That line made me think about basketball. A free throw is awarded after a foul. One team’s mistake gives the opposing team an opportunity to score. A free throw may only be worth one point, but one point can change the outcome of a game. A few seconds may seem insignificant, but those seconds matter when the clock is running down.
The enemy of our souls understands something important: he doesn’t always have to convince us to walk away from God. Sometimes, he only has to convince us to neglect the spiritual disciplines that keep us connected, strengthened, and spiritually alert.
Prayer becomes optional.
The Word gets pushed aside.
Worship becomes occasional.
And fasting? Many believers never even begin because they don’t understand what it is.
But fasting is not a burden. It is a gift.
What Is Fasting?
A fast is dedicating time to your relationship with God. A fast is a means of drawing closer to God. A fast is pushing away something that your flesh craves in order to embrace something that your spirit craves.
At its heart, it is about surrender.
It is choosing to say, “God, I want You more than I want this thing.”
Throughout Scripture, we see God’s people fasting during times of seeking, dependence, repentance, preparation, and prayer. Fasting creates space for us to quiet distractions and become more attentive to God.
Jesus modeled fasting during His time in the wilderness before beginning His earthly ministry. He did not fast because He was trying to earn the Father’s approval. He fasted as part of His dependence on the Father.
And when Jesus taught about spiritual disciplines in Matthew 6, notice His wording: “When you fast…” (Matthew 6:16)
Jesus did not say if. He said when.
Fasting was not presented as an extra-credit activity for the most spiritually mature believers. It was presented as a normal part of a disciple’s life.
What Fasting Is Not
One of the greatest obstacles to practicing fasting is misunderstanding what it is. Many people hear the word “fast” and immediately think: “I could never do that.”
But often, we have rejected something we have never truly understood. Fasting is not a way to manipulate God. Fasting does not force God to answer our prayers or make Him do what we want.
Fasting is not about controlling God—it is about surrendering ourselves to Him. It changes us. It positions our hearts to listen.
It reminds us that our deepest needs are ultimately met in Him.
Fasting is not a spiritual competition. A longer fast does not automatically make someone more spiritual. The goal is not to complete the most difficult fast or prove how disciplined we are.
The goal is intimacy with God.
A 40-day fast is not the standard every believer must achieve before fasting “counts.” Scripture contains many different examples of fasting for different purposes and seasons.
The question is not: “How extreme can I make this?”
The question is: “How can I intentionally seek God?”
Fasting is not about harming our bodies. God does not ask us to harm ourselves. Our bodies are gifts from Him, and we are called to steward them well.
Biblical fasting is not about punishment or self-destruction. It is about surrender and spiritual focus.
For some people, a traditional food fast may not be appropriate because of health considerations. That does not mean they cannot practice fasting. There are many ways to intentionally remove distractions and create space to seek God.
The heart behind the discipline matters.
Why Does the Enemy Want Us Confused About Fasting?
The enemy knows the power of spiritual disciplines. He knows that prayer strengthens us. He knows that the Word transforms us. He knows that worship redirects our hearts.
And he knows that fasting draws us closer to God.
When we misunderstand fasting, we often dismiss it before we ever experience the blessing of it. We convince ourselves:
“I don’t have time.”
“I’m not spiritual enough.”
“That’s only for certain people.”
“I could never do something like that.”
But God is not inviting us into this discipline because He wants to make our lives harder. He invites us into fasting because He wants to draw us closer.
Isaiah 58 gives us a beautiful picture of the kind of fast God desires. It is not merely about outward actions—it is about transformed hearts. God connects fasting with freedom, compassion, righteousness, healing, and His guidance.
A biblical fast is not simply about what we give up.
It is about Who we are making room for.
How Do We Begin?
If fasting is new to you, begin with prayer. Ask God:
“Is there something You are inviting me to surrender?”
“Is there something distracting me from seeking You?”
“How can I create more space for Your presence?”
Then, intentionally replace what you remove with time focused on God. If you remove a meal, use that time to pray. If you step away from a distraction, use that time to worship, read Scripture, or seek God.
The purpose of fasting is not simply subtraction. It is exchange. We are laying something down so we can receive something greater.
We are creating room for God.
A Final Invitation
Fasting is a powerful spiritual discipline, but it is often misunderstood. It is not about earning God’s love. It is not about proving our spirituality. It is not about achieving an impressive spiritual milestone.
It is about drawing closer to the One who already loves us.
If you want to learn more about this practice — including different types of fasts found throughout Scripture, why people fasted, and how to practically incorporate this discipline into your walk with God—I invite you to explore my Fasting e-Course available through Connect Mentoring Network. You can take the course on its own - or you can look into memberships and have access to a full library of resources!
My prayer is that fasting would not be something you fear or avoid, but a beautiful invitation to experience deeper intimacy with God. Thanks for connecting with me today - let's continue this conversation on the podcast on Thursday! Subscribe here so you don't miss a thing!
Introduction: The Question Many Believers Quietly Ask
It's a common question among believers—whether new to faith or seasoned in ministry— and perhaps you have also wondered how to hear God's voice.
Underneath that question is often something deeper: Does God still speak today? And if He does, how do I know it’s really Him? Understanding how to hear God’s voice begins with understanding God’s desire for relationship with His people.
For many people, hearing God can feel distant, complicated, or reserved for spiritual leaders. But Scripture tells a very different story: God has always desired relationship with His people—not distance, not mediation, and not spiritual hierarchy.
One of the clearest pictures of this comes from one of my favorite moments in Deuteronomy 5.
God’s Original Invitation: Direct Relationship
In Deuteronomy 5, the people of Israel have just experienced something extraordinary.
They heard the voice of God from the mountain. They witnessed His presence in fire and glory. They came face to face with the reality that God actually speaks to His people.
Their response is revealing. They say, in essence: “We have heard God’s voice… and it is too much for us. Moses, you go hear from God for us.”
Instead of embracing direct relationship, they request a mediator.
And God responds with a heartbreaking observation: “Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep My commandments…” (Deuteronomy 5:29)
This moment is not just historical—it is deeply theological: God’s desire was never distance. It was relationship. He wanted to speak directly to His people.
But they chose mediated access instead of intimate connection.
How To Hear God’s Voice: The Subtle Shift from Relationship to Religion
One reason many believers struggle with how to hear God’s voice is that they have unknowingly replaced relationship with religious performance.
This moment reveals something we still struggle with today. It is possible to have access to God… and still choose distance in how we relate to Him.
Many believers unintentionally shift from relationship with God to a system of spiritual dependence on others.
This can look like:
- Only hearing God through sermons
- Relying entirely on others for direction
- Feeling unqualified to discern God’s voice personally
- Believing intimacy with God is reserved for “spiritual leaders”
But Scripture consistently shows the opposite: God’s invitation has always been personal.
Relationship vs. Religion: Two Different Ways of Living
One of the clearest distinctions in spiritual life is the difference between relationship-driven faith and rule-driven religion.
Religion sounds like:
- “I have to read my Bible so God is pleased with me.”
- “I need to pray or I’ll fall behind spiritually.”
- “I’m afraid I’ll miss God if I don’t follow the right formula.”
Relationship sounds like:
- “I want to hear from God because I know Him.”
- “I look forward to time with Him.”
- “His voice brings clarity, peace, and direction.”
The external behaviors may look similar—but the internal motivation is entirely different. One is driven by fear and obligation. The other is driven by love and intimacy.
How To Hear God’s Voice: God Never Intended a Middleman for Intimacy
When Israel asked Moses to hear from God on their behalf, God allowed it.
But it was not His ideal design. It was a concession to fear, and a desire to be in relationship whatever that looked like for the people at that moment. It was not a reflection of His heart: His heart was intimacy.
We see this same tension today when believers unintentionally outsource their spiritual discernment:
- “What did your pastor say about it?”
- “What do you think God is telling me?”
- “Can you pray and hear from God for me?”
While spiritual counsel is valuable and biblical, it was never meant to replace personal relationship with God.
The Holy Spirit was given so that every believer could know God personally.
Jesus said: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit… will teach you all things.” (John 14:26)
That is direct access.
Not mediated spirituality.
How To Hear God’s Voice: God Still Speaks Today
Learning how to hear God’s voice is not about discovering a secret spiritual formula. It is about growing in relationship with the God who is already speaking.
One of the most important truths in Scripture is this: God did not stop speaking after biblical times.
He speaks through His Word. He speaks through the Holy Spirit. He speaks through peace, conviction, wisdom, and confirmation.
But His voice is always consistent with His nature and His Word.
We see this modeled throughout Scripture:
David
David regularly pours out his heart to God, then listens in stillness. His psalms reflect a rhythm of expression and listening—what he later describes as “Selah.”
Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38–42)
Mary chooses presence over performance. Jesus affirms her choice as “the better part”—not because work is wrong, but because intimacy must come first.
Paul
Paul makes ministry decisions based on spiritual direction: “I had no rest in my spirit…” (2 Corinthians 2:13)
He was being led internally by the Holy Spirit—not merely external circumstances.
Jesus: The Model of Intimate Relationship with the Father
Jesus is the clearest picture of what it means to live in constant connection with God. He says: “This is eternal life, that they may know You…” (John 17:3)
Not know about God.
Not perform for God.
But know Him.
Jesus lived from continual communion with the Father. He withdrew to pray. He listened. He obeyed. He moved in step with what He heard.
Even on the cross, He could say: “It is finished.”
Not because everything in the world was completed, but because everything the Father asked Him to do was fulfilled.
That kind of clarity comes from intimacy.
Law vs. Relationship: The Internal Difference That Changes Everything
Paul describes two ways of living in Romans 8. One is life under law. The other is life in the Spirit.
Living under law often feels like:
- Pressure
- Performance
- Fear of missing it
- Constant self-evaluation
Living in relationship with God feels like:
- Peace
- Guidance
- Trust
- Freedom
Paul writes: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus…” (Romans 8:1)
That means hearing God’s voice is not rooted in fear of getting it wrong.
It is rooted in relationship with the One who speaks.
Why This Matters for Your Spiritual Life
As you learn how to hear God’s voice, you begin to experience greater confidence, peace, and clarity in your daily walk with God.
When believers begin to trust that God still speaks, everything shifts:
- Prayer becomes relational instead of transactional
- Scripture becomes alive instead of routine
- Decision-making becomes Spirit-led instead of fear-driven
- Faith becomes interactive instead of passive
And most importantly: You stop living spiritually through others—and begin walking with God personally.
Reflection Questions
Take a moment to consider:
- Do I believe God speaks to me personally?
- Have I unintentionally relied more on others than on the Holy Spirit?
- Do I approach God from relationship or obligation?
- What would change if I truly trusted that God wants to lead me personally?
Action Step: Rebuild Intimacy with God
This week, set aside intentional time to simply be with God—not to perform, not to complete a checklist, but to listen.
Ask Him: “Lord, what are You saying to me right now?” Then pause.
Write down impressions, Scriptures, or thoughts that align with His Word and His character.
Spiritual growth is not only about learning more. It is about learning to recognize His voice.
Conclusion: The Invitation Still Stands
The story of Deuteronomy 5 is not just about Israel’s past. It is about our present invitation.
God still speaks. He still invites relationship. He still desires direct communion with His people.
The question is not whether God is speaking. The question is whether we are willing to listen and learn how to hear God’s voice through a growing relationship with Him.
Connect With Us
If this message resonated with you, I want to invite you to go deeper.
Inside Connect Mentoring Network, we help women in ministry and leadership grow in:
- Hearing God’s voice
- Spiritual discernment
- Leadership clarity
- Emotional and spiritual health
- Sustainable ministry rhythms
If you’ve ever wondered how to hear God’s voice with greater confidence and discernment, you’re not alone. In our How to Hear God’s Voice e-course, we walk step-by-step through developing confidence in recognizing God’s voice in everyday life.
You don’t have to live spiritually distant or uncertain. You were created for relationship with God. And that relationship is still available today. God is not silent. He is not distant. He is speaking.
The invitation is still the same: Come near. Listen. Walk with Me.
Let's continue this conversation on Thursday's podcast - subscribe here. I can't wit to connect with you again soon!
