Do you get exhausted with all the voices vying for your attention everyday? I do! We tune in to some of them, and tune out the rest. But there is still an underlying ‘white noise’ that clouds our ability to listen to what is important and filter out the trash.
As a communicator, I need to clearly hear what is vital so I have something life-changing to pass on to my audience.
So, how do I make sure that my message is worth listening to? ie. How do I filter out the noise?
Hearing God’s voice is the most important lesson anyone can learn.
Maybe this concept is new to you, but God has not only “spoken” through the Bible, but He continues to speak today to those willing to listen.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).
God is described as “the Word.” It is in his nature to speak, and he wants to speak to US today! His word is powerful (creation itself was spoken into existence), and life giving (John 6:63).
Is that you God?
As a young boy Samuel helped in the temple of the Lord. Three times in one night he was called by someone, but he didn’t recognize the voice. I wonder how many times God has called out to me in an effort to get my attention and guide me? I think most days he would have to hit me with a 2×4 across the head to get me to stop long enough to respond, “Hey, what was that for?”
On the fourth try, God called out to Samuel and this time he responded, “Speak Lord, your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:9).
“Speak to me God. I’m listening. You have my attention.” This is a life-changing statement.
When we listen, we will hear God. Samuel did. From that day he never forgot God’s voice…and God continued to speak to him throughout his life.
Here are three things I do to hear from God on a daily basis:
- I get quiet for a few minutes each day.
This isn’t rocket science. I just shut off the stereo in my car while I am driving, or close the door in my office and shut off my phone/alerts periodically. How can God get our attention if we always have our ear buds in?
- I read the Bible (God has spoken).
When something jumps out at me I underline it or write my thoughts/questions in a journal. God is always speaking through the Bible; we just have a tendency to think it is meant for someone else (like a co-worker, spouse or neighbor).
- I ask God to speak to me.
Like Samuel, I let God know I’m listening. Often someone comes to mind so I pray for him or her then follow up with a phone call or email. Other times I am reminded of commitments I have made that need to be completed. Or I may not hear anything. That’s ok too. It’s just a moment of peace or clarity in an otherwise distracted and busy day.
If you’ve never taken time to be still to hear the voice of God it can be frustrating at first. Competing thoughts flood your mind, but with time and practice you will learn to cherish the quiet, and God can capture your attention.
You will grow when you hear from God. Your hearers will grow, too!