Listening for His Wisdom with an Open Heart
Have you ever felt stuck between needing direction and fearing what that direction might require of you?
You’re not alone.
If we’re honest, we all long for God’s wisdom, but we sometimes hesitate when we realize it may require surrender—of our expectations, our plans, even our pain.
But, there’s a difference between forcing ourselves and striving to surrender versus inviting healing that empowers us to surrender.
Let’s explore together what it looks like to receive and obey God’s guidance, and how our hearts can be healed in the process.
Begin With Gratitude
Before diving deep, pause and ask, in the midst of the journey:
What am I thankful for today?
Gratitude tunes our hearts to recognize the goodness of God, which opens us up to trust Him more deeply. (Psalm 100:4)
Ponder This…
- Has God been speaking to you through others lately? What have they shared that highlighted His truth or love for you?
- Can you already think of a moment in your life when you desperately needed wisdom—and God provided it?
This reminds me of my own experience at a border crossing.
(I’ve shared about this before but if you’re new here…)
It’s the amazing thing God did last year when I was locked in a room for 5 hours and interrogated in another country.
(This is the crazy amazing story where the interrogator asked me to give him an example of my coaching. During this, I saw his eyes fill with emotion and watery tears. Quietly in prayer, I also had asked: “God, Show Me What You See” and He showed me how to respond to their questions. I was set free and honoured in the end.)
It was a moment where listening to God’s wisdom over my own assumptions made all the difference.
Why Do We Sometimes Resist God’s Leading?
It’s worth asking:
What makes us unwilling to surrender our will to God?
We might find clues by looking at our human relationships.
Who do we naturally go to for advice? Likely someone kind, trustworthy, wise, and compassionate.
So when we struggle to receive guidance from God, could it be because our view of Him has been distorted by past wounds? Especially wounds inflicted ‘in His name’?
A “bent will” can be a tough barrier to overcome (it’s when our will is bent away from God). But, it can come from pain, betrayal, or religious trauma.
It can happen when we confuse the character of God with the actions of flawed humans who were supposed to represent Him to us.
True healing comes when we begin to see God for who He really is.
A Healing Question
Sometimes when I meet with people I ask:
“Would you be willing… to first hear how God is praying for you?”
Sometimes they look at me funny…
“God is praying for me?”
Yup. And hearing this would help us get a peek into His true heart.
So, if they are willing to encounter God’s true heart, they get to discover this for themselves… (apart from the painful experiences they’ve walked through.)
God is praying for you and me!
“The Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.”
— Romans 8:26–27 (NLT)
“Christ Jesus… is sitting at the right hand of the Father, interceding for us.”
— Romans 8:34 (NLT)
“He always lives to intercede for them.”
— Hebrews 7:25 (NIV)
We never pray alone.
I call this ‘sticking our head in the triangle’ (of the trinity). We get to listen in on the conversation in heaven for us!
Let the Scriptures Speak
Once, we learn that God is praying for us…
Enjoy these passages on wisdom, guidance, and surrender.
Notice what words or phrases stand out to you:
Here they are briefly, but I encourage you to read them slowly and in full for more revelation.
📖 Romans 12:1–2 – Offer your body as a living sacrifice, (why?) because of who God is – generous.
📖 Romans 11:34–36 – Who can know the mind of the Lord?
📖 1 Corinthians 2:16 – But we have the mind of Christ!
📖 James 1:1–7 – Ask for wisdom without fear of rebuke.
📖 James 4:1–3 – Our motives can be off and so we don’t receive.
📖 James 3:17 – God’s wisdom is pure, peace-loving, gentle, full of mercy…
📖 Exodus 15:26 – “If you listen carefully… I will be your healer.”
📖 Psalm 37:4–5 – Delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.
📖 Romans 6:13, Acts 7:48, 1 Corinthians 6:19 – God doesn’t live in buildings built by hand. Our bodies are created to be instruments of righteousness, temples of the Holy Spirit. (Everywhere your body goes, it can be a beacon of His presence. That is powerful.)
Listening Prayer Activation
Take time to sit with Jesus and ask Him the following questions.
Write what you sense He says—don’t rush.
- God, thank you for… (name something that comes to mind.)
- God, what are you highlighting to me today from these Scriptures above?
- Is there something I’m afraid of, if I surrender to your will?
- Is there a situation in my life (or someone else’s) where I need Your wisdom?
- What promise from Your Word do You want to highlight for this situation?
- If I prayed from that promise, what would shift in my heart? My actions?
- Lord, what would it look like for me to fully surrender to You in this area?
Now respond with a choice:
Lord, I choose…
God, thank you…
Closing Blessing
May the God who sees your whole heart surround you with His peace.
May the Spirit who intercedes for you guide your every step.
May the Son who died and rose for you soften every place of resistance and bring you fully into joy-filled surrender.
You are loved, led, and never alone.
You can trust the One who guides you.
Because He’s also the One who gave everything to be with you.
Merri Ellen 😀
PS. This above post is based on a group coaching session where I led core ministry leaders through who are apart of a major Ministry Organization across Canada and the USA who partner with missionaries around the globe. It was a beautiful experience.
One leader sent this beautiful note:
“Merri Ellen,
Thank you so much for leading the team today! It was a beautiful time of reading scripture to know God’s character and heart, then how you led us through the questions to hear his voice for us personally! Thank you for sharing your gifts and time with us – I know we were incredibly blessed through this time together...!!”
💛 To learn more about hearing God’s voice and walking in freedom, visit:
www.MerriEllen.com
www.CoachinginFreedom.com
Dig Deeper:
Freedom Coaching Circle – movement of women who are iron sharpening iron…
Coaching in Freedom – Private Sessions for your own heart and journey!
God, Show Me More of You: Encountering God Out of the Box
God, Show Me What You See: 101 Words to Transform Your World
Following and Trusting : Encountering God Out of the Box 
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