This afternoon I felt the warm sun after days of rainy and foggy weather. It was amazing. But it hit me, only two weeks before, we had the most beautiful fall weather you can imagine for days straight. Because we had it so regularly, I didn’t stop to appreciate it. However, when it was rainy, it’s what I yearned for. Like the warm sun, why is it that some times I only yearn for God’s guidance when I am in the fog? When in the confusion of not being able to so listening to God seems to be at it’s most difficult. Do you have trouble listening to God?
The Fog May be Home Made
Believe it or not, God is there for us even when we don’t feel like he needs to be. It is us that turns the relationship on and off. When everything is going “right” in life, listening to God may go on the back burner. Everything is good, so you don’t need his help. However, even in the good times, God is whispering guidance. Not listening to this guidance and cause you to take the drivers seat. Unfortunately for us, it is very easy to take a wrong turn into rough weather.
Because everything was going well, the maintenance of your relationship with Christ may have been replaced by trusting that you were all you need. Refusing to listen to him, ignoring his advice, and rejecting his correction are all examples of pride. This pride make us think that we know better than God when it comes to our life. Unfortunately, this means that we are not listening to the only one who can show us what is really true and to help us live in a way that is truly free.
What Does the Bible Say About How God May be Speaking to You?
In 1 Kings 19, Elijah is fleeing from Queen Jezebel after killing Baal’s prophets. He eventually ended up on Mount Horeb, the same place Moses did, where he talked with God. God tells Elijah to out and stand on the mountain for he is about to pass by.
1 Kings 19: 11-13
“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. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.”
This voice was God. Notice how he came as a gentle whisper? We know that God can show up in mighty ways but this verse shows us that when we want to listen to him, we might be looking for an earthquake when we really need to be listening for a whisper.
Step Away From the Noise and Confusion to Listen
Today’s world has more distractions available than any other point of time. In that noise and confusion, it becomes difficult to pay attention to small things. It is healthy to give yourself brain breaks regularly. It clears your mind of all the clutter created by stimulus. The cool thing is, it also makes it easier to hear those whispers and be able to listen to God.
We know that the Devil is really good at lying. When our brain is stuffed full of thoughts, worries, or distractions it is difficult to distinguish lies from truth. it becomes very easy to think that a lie is your truth. This is why it is so important to give you brain a chance to breathe. To be able to process through all the extra to get to God’s truth.
What Does the Bible Say about Listening?
When we make a commitment to follow God, it needs to be all in. God doesn’t wants one hand in His work and the other in the world’s work.
Luke 9:62
“Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
This verse is short but direct. If you are not willing to go all in, you will not be able to reach God’s purpose for your life. What God wants you to do will look different for everybody. For some, it may mean selling everything and moving to a new place to disciple to people. For others, it may mean weaving Christ into every aspect of your day. For example, living your life in the joy Christ may make people think, “I want what that person has.” You might just have to work through some tough things to reach that joy found in a loving relationship with Jesus Christ. That’s where the hard decision lies. Do you want to give up peace right now in order to have peace for the rest of your life and for all eternity?
When Listening to God Give You Difficult Directions
You finally calm your thoughts and are able to hear the direction God is telling you to go. But what if that direction is not what you wanted? What if it is the opposite of what you prayed for? What do you do?
It’s these moments that really define as Christians. The discomfort and uncertainty that may be required to grow can stop a lot of people from following the voice of God. Take it from myself, to get to where I am now as a person and daughter of Christ, I had to go through some really hard things. In the moment, I hated it. Now, I am grateful for it. Sometimes we’re pushed into something but others require you to sit and listen. The sitting and listening is the most difficult because you have to make the choice to do it.
For some things like anxiety, being busy, or just laziness may be getting in the way of making a tough decision that you feel led my God to do. Choosing to put yourself in any level of discomfort is not a natural thing to do, or appealing. So why do it? Even though the cost of following Jesus can be high, the value of being his disciple is higher. Our reward may not be given to us on Earth but it be great and last for eternity.
What Does the Bible Say About Following Christ?
Take a look at the Disciples. They gave up everything to follow Christ. Time with their family, homes, and hobbies were all sacrificed. None of that is easy.
Matthew 16:24-28
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels and then he will reward each person according to what they have done. Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.'”
Jesus actually tells us directly in this passage that if you we continually choose our own comfort over following him, we will be judged and condemned. Listening to God may give us a very tough decision. “What good will it do for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” I don’t know about you, but that hits hard for me.
Final Thoughts
The stronger an impact to bringing people to God an action may have, the more the Devil is going to do to stop it. More often, however, the enemy is doing everything he can to stop you from doing it. The bigger move it is for you to strengthen your relationship with God, the more the Enemy will want to stop it. Listening to God can make us very uncomfortable but as you grow deeper in your faith, it will become easier and easier.
How has listening to God changed your life?
