You Cannot Hear God Unless You Listen
Relationships , Religion , Personal , Music , Personal Reflection Add commentsThere was a time in my life where God just didn't exist. I mean there were times when I wanted Him there, when I thought my life was going to end or when I wanted Him to make some girl look my way etc. But for the most part He didn't exist.
During this time I'd still go to church every so often, major holidays etc, and I'd have Christian friends etc. Every so often I'd hear someone talk about hearing God, or having God telling them to do this or that. I would just laugh at them, make fun of them and totally dismiss them.
You see I'd talk to God. I'd ask Him to show Himself, to reveal Himself to me, or to do something to make me believe in Him. I'd say things like "if you really exist then do X" or "If you really love me then make X happen for me".
Besides being totally selfish with my demands, I also didn't understand that God was listening and talking to me. I thought when God wanted me to know something, He would send me a letter, have a fortune teller reveal my future, talk to me in my dreams, or just be this big booming voice from the clouds.
I didn't know that I had to be willing to listen, and actively listening to hear Him.
God talks to us all the time. He has many ways He can talk to us and for each of us some ways are louder then others. He talks to us of course through the bible but He also talks to us through other people, nature, wisdom, and the holy spirit.
God talks to me mainly through people, the bible, and music. I'll be praying on something and asking God to guide me, or show me what path to take etc. Then days, weeks and sometimes months later I'll have a conversation and something that person says will stick with me and I'll know it was God talking to me. Same thing happens with the Bible. I'll be reading along and a verse will just hit me hard and I'll know I need to focus on that and pay attention to what it's saying.
Music is a bit different and some of you will probably think I'm a bit loony for thinking this. I truly believe that certain songs stick with and infect me because God has a reason for it. I don't always know why but over time He reveals himself and I'm like AH Gotcha!! I did a blog post about the song "Say" by John Mayer which epitomized this.
Recently the song has been "Found Me" by The Fray. It's a newer song and it's totally been rocking my world. I swear I need a second job just to feed my musical addictions. (skip over video)
Anyways I wasn't sure why this song was sticking with me but I knew in time God would tell me. Well tonight He decided I was ready for it. Andy Stanley spoke in part 3 of his Listen & Learn series about Listening to God. Basically the gist of it is that people who turn their back on God aren't in a position to listen to what He has to say.
Think about your parents for a minute here. Growing up they had all kinds of advice, wisdom etc. They always gave it out to us but we rarely ever really listened to them. It was only after we had messed up and really needed them that we would pay attention to what they were saying to us. Most of the time we'd even follow through with this advice.
God works in much the same way.
All those years I had my back turned on Him. Begging Him to help me and to make this girl like me, or to get me this job, or to help me deal with my crazy roommates. He was talking to me but I was so focused on a specific issue and problem that I didn't hear Him.
God doesn't like us to force Him to talk about a specific idea, thing, problem or issue. No He wants us open to everything He has to say, much like our parents. He loves us so much, and wants us to trust Him so much that we let Him control our lives. We ask Him for advice on everything we do.
Not just the bad stuff!
This is hard. To turn your entire life over to someone or something that you can't see, can't really hear, and well for most of the population is just some mysticism.
But you can. I did, I continue to and so can you.
I don't believe in coincidences at all anymore. To me these little things are God whispering to me. That close call on 285 where I almost got creamed. That little bit of encouragement from my boss on a day when I need it the most. An email from my mother telling me how proud she is of my blog when I don't know if I can write anymore. My cat deciding to sleep next to me instead of at my feet when I'm feeling lonely. Going to a bookstore to buy a bible only to end up helping a complete stranger buy one for someone else and then I walk out without anything at all.
My favorite coincidence? Feeling overwhelmed with life, not having a clue what to do or where to go and having a buddy call me up to go to lunch because I was on his heart that morning.
It's moments like these which having me saying "Thank you God (or Papa as I like to call Him) for being there".
He's talking to all of us. He's got a lot to say. But we have to be in a position to hear Him and be willing to let Him take control and guide us. We all have freewill and at any moment can change the course away from his plan and desires.
I've done that. I was at the helm of S.S. Freewill with engines at full speed for many many years, more then half my life probably. You know what I learned during this time.
I suck at life.
Freewill scare the dickens out of me because it is such a powerful thing. In an instant we can decide to ignore God's plan and desires and go on a path all our own making. We can decide to live with a girlfriend even though we know it's wrong. We can decide to make out with someone because we desire affection, even though we know it will damage the relationship. We decide to join the party and have that one extra drink we know we shouldn't.
So many decisions which we take into our hands every day without his guidance.
I've done them all. Those example above, not made up, not what I think you might be doing. Nope it's all stuff I've done.
Freewill controlled me, God didn't.
So the song was a reminder that I gave it all to Him at one point, and that I was now slipping. It was a wake-up call to give it all back to Him. To focus on Him. To center on Him.
We all slip. We all fall. We all crash and burn. Lucky for us God loves us more then we can fathom and He's ready to pick us up, dust off our knees and then look us in the eye and say:
"I love you, now please just listen to me and I promise everything you desire, everything you truly need will be given to you."
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jan 7, 2009 at 2:55 PM I came across your blog randomly today while I was doing some googling about being Christian. I have had some struggles in the past few weeks with it, and this entry that I read was very uplifting and came at a time where I was feeling very down. Free will scares me too, and I really hope that God does have a plan for me and that whatever decisions I make, will be the right ones.
Jan 8, 2009 at 3:49 PM Hey Anonymous! There's a lot i want to say after reading this comment but too much to type here. I'll be posting a full response shortly. In the interim i must say thank you. Believe it or not this comment was an answer to one of my prayers. Stay strong, stay hopeful and God will speak to you!
Jan 9, 2009 at 2:41 PM Thanks for the encouragement. Looking forward to reading your response. Kinda strange how the comment was an answer to one of your prayers, and me coming across this entry was exactly what I needed at the moment. I guess God works in mysterious ways sometimes after all :)
Apr 20, 2009 at 12:13 AM Thank you for this touching blog. I know that God is in control and I have to listen more than I have in the past.
For the past 9 years I have been working like crazy supporting my family with food, school fees and my inheritance from my Grandmother. My family are in the starving country of Zimbabwe.
My Grandmother and I had a very unique and wonderful relationship and eventhough I was not able to spend time with her in the past 8 years, we always remained close. I thank God that my paperwork came through for me to visit her in South Africa on her death bed and let her know how much I loved her. My mother refused to have anything to do with her, due to her childhood memories.
In short the past 9 years I have neglected my social life and most of everything to focus on my job. I know God has been speaking to me as I was laid off on 1 April 2009. The funny thing is I gave everything working, until sometimes 8 at night. Everyone was shocked as one of my other collegues did'nt really care about his job, infact the one account he did get, the company went bust and owe over one million dollars to the company, I once worked for.
There was nothing I could have done, it was not in my control.
I know that God has given me a wake up call that I am not incontrol and I will wait upon him.
Jul 1, 2009 at 11:04 AM Hey - it's me "Anonymous" again. I had bookmarked this in my favorites and again was doing some research about Christianity and wanted to get your thoughts or recommendations about where I can get some more insight. I'm having trouble with the "Christian" belief that only Christians are saved and going to heaven. I also am trying to learn more about baptism and being saved. I've read many places that you don't have to be baptized to be saved, but if this is the case, why are some Christians forcing it on me? I don't feel comfortable doing it because I don't think I need to do it if it's going to cause so many problems for my family. I also believe I already have a relationship with God, and that he loves me. Exactly the way I am. Baptized or not. He knows me inside and out and understands everything I am going through when no one else seems to. I also disagree with the belief that only those who are Christian will get to heaven, because it imples that the majority of the people in my life are going to hell. While they do believe in God, and are good people, they grew up with different religions and choose to have a relationship with God that way.
Jul 8, 2009 at 11:18 AM Hey Anonymous! I'll be posting on this soon. I'll comment here when it's up. Hope all is well!
Jul 13, 2009 at 10:26 AM Hey Anonymous!!! I've posted a response to your comment. It's on my new blog and you can find the post here:
http://www.witharmshigh.com/2009/07/13/baptism-is-it-required/
Hope to hear from you!
Jul 20, 2009 at 1:52 PM I think you hit it right on the head. It was hard to read, I'm not going to sugar-coat it. I had a hard time with the whole, you're too caught up in you and what you want to listen to God, the one and only person you should really be listening to. But on the flip side of things, I completely understood/connected with how you listen to God so that part was cool for me. Especially the music part. Music to me is what God seems to use to get my attention. Rightfully so because I'm obsessed with it. I guess the only thing that bothered me about this blog was the lack of Bible verses. I mean you relate it on a personal level beautifully. You talked about how you've screwed up in not listening to God and how you've been selfish in you desire/want for God and then you show how you can turn that around and how God really does speak to each person individually. But I think this is a big topic. Does God listen? And how come I'm not hearing him? I think a topic like this should be backed up with what God is actually saying to all of us, not just what he's saying to you personally. Like John 10:27-28...(paraphrased) my people listen to me and when they do they'll live with me forever. Or James 4:8, "Come near to God and he will come near to you," as a reason to listen to God. When we listen to God (since we already know He's listening to us) it's a mutual interest in the other and when that happens, in our earthly relationships too, you become closer. Or even 1 Kings 19:11-12 "The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper" to point out that God isn't always in the "big epiphanies" of our lives. Which you touched on. But I think this blog entry would've been much more effective to the people reading it if you had supported you insights and what you were saying with Scripture. Overall, however, it really hit home with me, and I'm sure it will touch the many people who come across it.
Jul 20, 2009 at 2:01 PM Laura,
It was a good post before but thanks to your honest and amazing comment it just became a great post. Thank you so much for sharing the verses and speaking up. I will hold onto all these verse's and do my best to bring His word into my own.
Jul 22, 2009 at 2:07 PM Thank you, for writing this blog
Nov 27, 2009 at 4:44 AM """I often read your blog and always find it very interesting. Thought it was about time i let you know…Keep up the great work
regards""
james"