For the longest time I have struggled with knowing that I am hearing from God – it was so confusing trying to understand that you are ‘listening’ for communication from someone you cannot see.
It’s tough knowing if you are listening to God or if you are making it up in your own head. I know there are people reading this that know what I am talking about.
You probably have sat there in Church listening to your pastor talk about how he heard this and that from God.
People within your circle are talking about God is doing this and that in their life and you’re sitting there thinking what am I missing? What am I not doing?
Why is He not speaking to me?
It is almost as if you are just floating on by with no communication, with no acknowledgement, with no understanding of what’s going on almost as if you are just on a cloud going through life.
When I first became a Christian I would listen to God through other people’s confirmation of what I thought was happening in my life.
I didn’t think that I knew or understood or even listened good enough for God to directly speak to me without checking that I was right with other people.
This caused me to spend the longest time looking to other people for confirmation for what I believed to be happening in my life.
I would get an idea or an understanding of something and would speak to the Christians in my life and would only accept it if it was what they approved or confirmed.
I couldn’t make a decision unless it lined up with the agreement of someone else, particularly the people I respected and had invested into me. All I knew was that I wanted to follow God’s plan for my life.
What I didn’t realise was that God was speaking to me all the time, directly to me, in a specific way. A relationship with God is personal and it’s not about not hearing Him, it’s about knowing Him.
There is a huge difference between the people you have in your life. Some are family, some are friends, and some are just acquaintances. I’m willing to bet that most of your facebook friends you either don’t know or don’t communicate with like that.
This applies to God, there is a huge difference between knowing about God and KNOWING God, having a relationship with Him and seeing Him work in your life.
God is your truest friend. He knows how you work and what makes you tick. He knows how to get your attention and how to get a message to you. He will communicate with you accordingly.
Sometimes the issue isn’t that you aren’t hearing from Him, it’s that you are not willing to accept it. You’re not listening out for Him.
Jesus tells His disciple in Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; “
If you’ve ever wondered if God was Speaking to You? Here are 5 Questions to Ask Yourself:
Did He ask you to do something out of your comfort zone?
Did it bring you peace? (if you decided to do it anyways)
Does it keep coming up? (no matter how much you try to ignore it)
Does it line up with scripture?
Do you know His nature?
More often than not it is probably God asking you to step out and be used for the glory of God, but don’t forget to make yourself usable.
Open your heart. Look for opportunities to be used, do good, and listen for God’s voice in everything you do.
Let me tell you, communicating with God is sweeter than any communication you will ever have with man.
It is more fulfilling and rewarding than you can imagine.
- 5 Things To Do When You Find it Hard to “Turn The Other Cheek” - June 16, 2016
- 5 Things The Bible Teaches Us About God’s Grace - January 27, 2016
- When Life Gets Hard: What Are You Willing to Sacrifice? - September 29, 2015
