For many years of my ministry I thought God couldn't/wouldn't speak. I'd had training. One of the major things taught was much of the good stuff about God had ceased. I understood I had basically been booted from the nest and it was up to me to sink or swim, soar or crash. I thought I had it clear that we talked to God, but He no longer was on speaking terms with us.
Today, I think my understanding was wrong.
God has plenty to say. We just feel weird in discussing it among us because we have a heritage primed to react without giving this concept fair evaluation. God speaks to me. The very admission could throw some into convulsionistic claims of arrogance, ignorance, or foolishness. However, in this case I claim only the latter. (The Word says God works through the foolish and I hope to be included...I Cor. 1:26-29)
I've learned to wait on God and to listen for Him. When I hear from Him, it isn't an audible voice in English. All I can say is it is an awareness. What I once would have claimed as my own imagination or ingenuity, I now claim is God giving me ideas. Not all of my ideas are His. Only the ones from Him are His. He meets me most in three places: showering, shaving, driving. It should be noted that each of these three is while I am still.
In none of the three settings do I consciously say to myself, Now God will be speaking soon so conjure up some spiritual thinking processes. Ideas simply fall out of the heavens when I'm least expecting them. Of course an unbeliever's response is usually something like, How do you know it isn't the devil talking to you? I have to discern the message which is a biblical instruction. But I ask the doubter, why is it doubters believe Satan speaks to us directly, but not the Living God?
Truthfully, I could be all wet about any of this. I know that. What I want to tell you is I experience God. I like it. He has given me ideas I could never come up with on my own. He has done things for me for decades I could never have provided on my own. He's such an active Sort.
I believe God is not mute. I believe He loves to interact with His children. We might do well to develop prayer time where we talk.....and we listen. We speak to Him....and I believe wholeheartedly He speaks to us. Shame on us for believing we can talk, but the Creator who spoke the world into existence is no longer able.
4 comments:
I have an autistic son. He is non verbal.
This has taught me quite a few things about communication. My son doesn't speak but he still communicates. We have a book that helps us do so.
Hmmm....
God speaks to me most when I am driving to and from work. That is usually when I am tired and I'm not TRYING to listen to Him. It's those times that when I try and be still that I think satan distracts me. I'm not sure if satan speaks because I don't try to hear that voice. I only try to hear the one that really matters. God speaks to me when I am really tired and weary. When I'm energetic and lively, I'm not sure I hear Him near as much as I should. I'm not sure the message is always as clear as it should be. I get the wake up call from Him when I least expect it.
I've heard God speak often as you've described it. But when I think I need to hear Him the most, I get mostly silence.
God speaks to us all the time, the problem is we are to caught up in ourselves to listen. It's amazing what I hear from God when I actually take the time to listen. I've enjoyed getting caught up on your post. Have a great weekend!
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