I already shared with you how I’ll write down a title then have nothing to say on said topic for days or weeks. This title is 6 weeks old and it still amazes me when all the thoughts come together and I look through my notes and realize there was already a title, just waiting to be fleshed out.
Over the weekend, my friend made a comment that stopped me in my tracks. It was related to something that I had struggled with in my most recent Christian life – how do I know when God is speaking to me. Remember I shared with you that I Google everything? Yup, I’ve Googled that topic within the last month as well. How do I know if I’ve actually heard God speak or did I just make something up. Don’t worry if you think that’s strange. To be honest, I think it’s strange to me too, but I’m learning not to be so self judgmental.
Also, over the weekend, the day before, my other girlfriend decided that while she wanted to worship, she didn’t want to go to church and asked for suggestions of where she could find something. I suggested she go to a well known church archive. I’ve been able to find a message just for me when I’ve needed one in the past. And because this is the type of person I am: I went and looked to see what was currently there, took a picture and sent it to her. The most recent one had a word in the title that I was sure was going to get her attention because we had been talking about that for months already. Wrong. After she looked for herself, she was lead to ones that she ended up sharing with me – because while they were just for her, she knew that I needed to hear them as well. This could have only been God, once again in His sense of humor providing for me and my needs of a message that I needed to hear to stay encouraged.
The second message she sent me was titled ‘How to hear from God’ and would serve as a pretext for a conversation that I was to have the next day, and serve as an answer to something my internet browser was all too familiar with. Wow! I won’t do the sermon justice in the next few lines, but it talked about having quiet time alone from everything so you can hear from God. When we pray, do you listen for a response? Praying is only 50% of the equation. Just like any relationship, we have to stop and listen after we have spoken. Are you reading His words for instructions? This is another way He speaks.
After pondering my first friend’s comment for a day, I decided to respond to her – I wasn’t planning on a response, but it had been on my heart. You see, she has been sharing encouraging words with me for the last few months as well. That’s become her ministry to others and the way she serves. I shared with her what I was learning and how I was seeing the difference of actively looking for God in my life. Not long after, I found the daily proverbs31 radio broadcast message that I knew was an answer to her prayer and shared it with her. Shortly after that, she sent me a message of someone confirming how much of a positive influence she has been in their life. That’s God knowing that we need that encouragement to keep doing what we are doing for Him.
I’m learning that God has different ways of speaking to us. It’s through the kind words of friends, it’s through His written words, it’s Him whispering a message to our hearts at just the right moment. Let us not dismiss His council because it does not come with the big booming voice that TV tells us to expect.
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for your love and instruction. We thank you for your guidance and the whispers to our hearts. Lord, help us to learn your voice so well, that we can hear the still small voice when You speak to us, offering life, love and hope in You, and know that it can only be You.