Hearing His Voice
by Margaret Davies
As we seek to follow the Lord day by day it’s very important that we listen to His voice, but sometimes that’s very difficult if we can’t hear properly.
Recently my husband had a blocked ear which meant he could hear nothing in one ear for several days. After a few days of putting oil in the ear each night he went along to the nurse to have his ear syringed. He came out from the nurse saying “I can hear! I can hear!”
This was a physical blockage that was dulling his ability to hear clearly, and when this was dealt with he could once again hear clearly. It’s easy to recognise the physical blockages, but in our daily living we can also encounter spiritual deafness. This makes the truth muffled and unclear, and hinders us from hearing the Lord. It’s then we can easily be led astray.
There can be many things like anxieties, fears, and busyness which can cloud our thinking, so we’re unable to hear that still small voice of the Lord. The enemy will use any tactics he can to prevent us from hearing and following the Lord, so we need to be aware of that and keep alert. Then we can then keep those vital communication lines open between us and the Lord.
It may be that we’re carrying unforgiveness towards ourselves, or others. This can consume our thinking, even when we’re trying to sit and listen to the Lord. And it can also be any sin which we allow to enter and bring disruption to our communication with the Lord.
When we can’t hear the Lord clearly we need to take steps to return to the Lord and allow the oil of His Holy Spirit to cleanse us, removing any hindrances which are preventing us from hearing His voice clearly. As we ask Him to reveal to us the things that hinder us from hearing Him, and then release them to Him, He’s gracious and merciful to remove the blockages.
Some words of a song I wrote many years ago are coming back to me now:
‘Holy Spirit come. Move with holy fire.
Take away all the things, that would block me hearing You’.
Prayer: Father, thank You that You’re a gracious God, who desires for us to listen to Your voice, and, as we hear You, to follow you more closely. We ask that You would send Your spirit to remove any blockages that we’ve allowed to hinder us from hearing You clearly. Set us free to follow the pathway You’ve ordained for each of us to follow. Amen.
Margaret Davies is married to Trevor whom she met and married in Israel where she worked in various ministries for almost 10 years. They joined Ellel Ministries in Scotland in 2002 where they served for almost 13 years, and have just recently left the full time team at Blairmore House. They are presently living in a small village in North Essex, and Margaret enjoys baking, gardening and walking.
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