discernment

the idea of discernment has been on my mind lately...as in how to best discern God's plan & how to best follow where He is leading. it's an obscure area...difficult to figure out. first of all, what exactly is the process? is it a combination of pressing in & listening with your spirit...coupled with biblical wisdom and the wisdom of friends to wait for that feeling of assurance & peace about a certain option? that tends to be my usual process.

but how do you reconcile something you believe God promised to you personally when it is not happening and you are seeing no fruit of that promise? how do you discern the path then? or does it just come down to waiting for fruition? it's in the waiting that the doubts start creeping in & i start questioning if God really promised me something or not...and then inevitably i start seeking a way to make things happen on my own...not the smartest idea. i know that God does not tease His children and that "God is not a God of confusion but of peace (1 cor. 14:33)." i absolutely believe He is always working, always refining and always preparing for things to happen in His perfect timing, but for one who feels like things aren't progressing, wow, it is so hard to wait.