How can you distinguish what you want from what wants?

[RBW8]

As humans we tend to decipher things the way we want to lean towards what we want. It's just a natural thing for us I think.

So dealing with the heart I think we can be the most "want driven" than anything else. How do you look past what you want and see what God wants?

It's been almost 3 months since I have had an actual conversation with her. There are no signs she will want me back. My single straw of hope is the fact that I ask her "if you want me to give up and move on, just tell me that so I can have closure." Which she didn't respond to.

So I pray. I ask God what to do. I feel like he's telling me to stick with what I'm doing. But is that him or my mind wanting what it wants?

I listen to focus on the family every morning because it's the station I always listen to while driving. My hour long commute aside from talking about kids from time to time it's always about restoring marriage, stopping divorce and working it out or even remaining faithful after a divorce and getting back together. They'll have people all the time who divorced or was about to that have grown so much together after a divorce.

I'll get things on Facebook popping up about working on marriages. (I'm aware Facebook does that based on your internet searches sometimes).

So in a nutshell, am I looking for signs too hard? Am I seeing what I want? How can I tell when it's God and not just me seeing what I want to see? Every other aspect of my life has improved. My credit score, my health, my financial situation and most importantly my commitment to God. I'm missing one piece of the puzzle.

 

[RBW8]

Title should read "what you want from what GOD wants"

 

[tourist]

As you're driving I believe that you are seeing her in your rearview mirror.

 

[88]

As humans we tend to decipher things the way we want to lean towards what we want. It's just a natural thing for us I think.

So dealing with the heart I think we can be the most "want driven" than anything else. How do you look past what you want and see what God wants?

It's been almost 3 months since I have had an actual conversation with her. There are no signs she will want me back. My single straw of hope is the fact that I ask her "if you want me to give up and move on, just tell me that so I can have closure." Which she didn't respond to.

So I pray. I ask God what to do. I feel like he's telling me to stick with what I'm doing. But is that him or my mind wanting what it wants?

I listen to focus on the family every morning because it's the station I always listen to while driving. My hour long commute aside from talking about kids from time to time it's always about restoring marriage, stopping divorce and working it out or even remaining faithful after a divorce and getting back together. They'll have people all the time who divorced or was about to that have grown so much together after a divorce.

I'll get things on Facebook popping up about working on marriages. (I'm aware Facebook does that based on your internet searches sometimes).

So in a nutshell, am I looking for signs too hard? Am I seeing what I want? How can I tell when it's God and not just me seeing what I want to see? Every other aspect of my life has improved. My credit score, my health, my financial situation and most importantly my commitment to God. I'm missing one piece of the puzzle.

***(praying) seek the Lord whole heartedly and commit your way unto Him and this situation***He will put light on your path and He will guide your in the way to go...

 

[Depleted]

Title should read "what you want from what GOD wants"

Good news! I guessed that one. lol

"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." That's it! The focus.

That's also where we're most likely to jump off at any given moment, and I jump off way too often. I don't think I'm the abnormality in that. I think we all do.

Focusing on God is something like exercising. I need to exercise or my back gets worse, and one of my exercise is to pull my shoulders back (and down) as far as I can go and hold it for ten seconds. Then repeat ten times. Kind of simple, eh? Yeah, well, I can't tell you how often my mind wanders only to come back and either realize I didn't hold the position long enough. Or, worse yet, not even knowing if I held the position at all. That's how bad my mind wanders.

And it wanders the same way with God. Focus is on God. Everything else is a distraction. And we can't maintain that focus but so long, so even there, we need God's help to remember our focus is on him.

Focus on the Family is a distraction. It's not focusing on God. It's focusing on what you should be doing about your wife. We do that often. We find stuff about God instead of embracing him first hand. Seeking him.

I really get that desire to know how this all works out. On Nov. 21, 2015 my husband had a massive heart attack. So massive, he didn't even leave ICU until January 25th. (That's doubly significant because, like you, I did my due-diligence and learned that the vast majority of people who spend more than 31 days in ICU, even if they get better enough to go home, die within a year.) So, I got seriously into begging God and asking for signs.

He gave me signs on occasion, but the signs all said the same thing your signs have said or will say. "Trust me." That's usually what God gives us -- "Trust me" or "I love you."

The way you learn how all this works out is by living it. You're going to have to live it anyway, so accept that. The comforting way of finding out how this works out is living it while focusing on the Lord. He gives the comfort. And he gives comfort more often than we notice because our minds wander.

Jonah is my hero from the Bible. God told him to preach to the Ninevehites, (and enemy of Jonah's people), so Jonah did what I have done -- go the other way. It took a massive storm, some terrified sailors, and one ginormous fish to get Jonah to Nineveh willingly. (Jonah was willing when he walked to those gates.) In like kind, God will have you go down this path. Whether your wife returns or she doesn't, there is going to be a lot of pain, remorse, and hard work ahead. You have but one choice. Are you going to travel by ship in the right direction or by fish belly?

Focus on God -- not the family -- and your trip is easier to take. God is sovereign. He already worked out what happens in your life. Keep focusing on him and his will be done, and you get an easier trip. (Not saying there won't be seasickness. Just saying you won't be squished into a 104 degree, humid, stomach acidity belly of a fish for three days instead.)

That's what God wants.

 

[Depleted]

As you're driving I believe that you are seeing her in your rearview mirror.

Just curious, since your wife surely told you my prayer request way back when. Did God also tell you my hubby would die?

 

[RBW8]

That was such a great post. Thank you.

 

[OneFaith]

As humans we tend to decipher things the way we want to lean towards what we want. It's just a natural thing for us I think.

So dealing with the heart I think we can be the most "want driven" than anything else. How do you look past what you want and see what God wants?

It's been almost 3 months since I have had an actual conversation with her. There are no signs she will want me back. My single straw of hope is the fact that I ask her "if you want me to give up and move on, just tell me that so I can have closure." Which she didn't respond to.

So I pray. I ask God what to do. I feel like he's telling me to stick with what I'm doing. But is that him or my mind wanting what it wants?

I listen to focus on the family every morning because it's the station I always listen to while driving. My hour long commute aside from talking about kids from time to time it's always about restoring marriage, stopping divorce and working it out or even remaining faithful after a divorce and getting back together. They'll have people all the time who divorced or was about to that have grown so much together after a divorce.

I'll get things on Facebook popping up about working on marriages. (I'm aware Facebook does that based on your internet searches sometimes).

So in a nutshell, am I looking for signs too hard? Am I seeing what I want? How can I tell when it's God and not just me seeing what I want to see? Every other aspect of my life has improved. My credit score, my health, my financial situation and most importantly my commitment to God. I'm missing one piece of the puzzle.

Its easy- what does the Bible say to do? And that is what God wants. Then compare your wants to His Will and see if they match. Jesus said there is only one reason for divorce, so if it is not that reason, don't divorce. The Bible also says if your spouse leaves you are not bound in such circumstance. God only judges you by as far as it depends on you, He understands you can't control what other people do. So as far as it depends on you, save your marriage the best you can.

I'm surprised Focus on the Family said to try to get back together even after divorce, cause the Bible says not to remarry the one whom you've divorced. A good movie for you to watch is Fireproof with Kirk Cameron. I don't support the "pray Jesus into your heart" thing, but the way he changed himself to save his marriage was spot-on.