Hearing God

In our church home group we were talking about how we hear God’s voice. It’s relatively easy to talk to God and ask Him for things, but it’s more challenging to be quiet and listen. Some of our group find it easier to hear His voice than others. So we set ourselves a task for the week to try and listen to God and then report back to the group. We have yet to meet but it’s been an interesting experience and it set me thinking.

I hadn’t realised how much God speaks to me during the course of the day. Actually He’s probably talking to me all the time but I’m only aware of it on occasions. I’m still waiting for an answer on something significant I’ve asked Him about, but now I know He’s replied and told me to wait, before He will tell me. On other matters I quite often hear His heart without realising it. But I’m sure I’ve got to nowhere near what He wants for me in the listening stakes, and have a lot to learn.

So how do we listen to God? There are various answers: being quiet in our minds and spirits, reading the Bible, listening to good teaching, or fellowshipping with other Christians. Sometimes our own agenda or busyness gets in the way. But we recognise someone’s voice by being in relationship with them. This means spending time with them and getting to know them as a person. Just as we become familiar with each other in human relationships, we need to get close to God so we hear His voice when He speaks.

Many years ago when our son was small we were sitting reading on the side of a busy swimming pool. There was no lifeguard but he could swim. Amidst the noise of an outdoor pool, with all the squeals and splashes, suddenly my husband was roused from his book because he heard our son crying out. He was in difficulties in the water but nobody had noticed. Because his dad recognised his voice, sprinted into action and rescued him the story ended happily. None of the other children in the pool registered in my husband’s consciousness and none of the other parents were aware there was a problem. It was done on voice recognition because of the relationship between them.

Prayer: Dear Lord, Thank You that You want to speak with me. Help me to spend time with You, give You my best and not just my leftovers, and really get to know Your heart. Amen.