Having trouble “hearing” from God?

 

Every once in awhile we receive emails from people who complain that they "can't hear God." I received such an email yesterday, and here was my response to this lady:

Wow, your question is a doozy - hard to answer! The only thing I can say to that is, perhaps you're not recognizing when He "speaks." I don't mean, necessarily in an audible voice (which is truly RARE); rather in "ways." I'll explain in a second, but I just want to say it's GOOD that you're "not" hearing from Him because that means you're not like many folks who can be deceived easily, or believe their every thought and dream is "from God" and they make stupid decisions based on what they THINK or dream….

When YHWH "speaks" (through dreams or thoughts or in "ways") you'll KNOW it because it either has a happy ending for you/yours, or it serves to teach you a lesson (even if it hurts sometimes), or it causes a major change in your life (i.e., you couldn't get a job for YEARS, until you finally followed “that urge” to move somewhere else).

Here’s an example about something that could be easily overlooked as a "God thing":

One morning you oversleep and miss your bus to work, and you panic and become a nervous wreck and knock yourself out to find a cab in hopes of still making it in time because, in your particular job, you cannot be late because YOU are the one who … for instance, opens the doors to the store (and you don't have a car at home because you're a one-car family and your husband took it to work). Instead of remaining calm and taking it all in stride and asking God for His shalom in this, you get yourself all worked up and end up with a sprained ankle while hailing a cab, because you weren't looking where you were going. When you finally get to work, someone calls to find out if you're okay, because they just heard that the bus you usually ride at that time in the morning, was hit by a train as it was crossing a railroad track….

Do you see what I mean? We miss YHWH in the little things! Just because we don't see Him performing some miracle giving us the outcome WE desire about something, or giving us a vivid dream or whatever, doesn't mean He's not at work. Since we have the Holy Spirit within, He is ALWAYS with us! It's just that He allows us humans choices - the choice to do things HIS way, or not … and when we feel He's remaining silent, it's because He's often sitting back and watching us grow through our mistakes as we study Scripture and become more and more adept at "hearing His Voice" (no matter what form it's in).

It's kind of like that little ditty that was going around not too long ago about a guy stranded on top of his house because it was surrounded by a flood. He prays, "Please God, get me out of this!" Pretty soon some guy in a little motorboat comes along and offers him a ride, but he refuses. "No, thanks. God will provide!" Later a guy in a helicopter comes along, and again, he turns it down. So, the flood rises and he drowns, and when he gets to heaven, he yells at God, "I prayed to you! Didn't you hear me? Why didn't you help me?" And God says, "Well, I sent you a boat and a helicopter…."

So, don't worry about "hearing from ADONAI." He hears YOU! And I'm positive He's working in your life, or else you wouldn't be so eager to learn more about how to be holy and how to please Him, etc.