Before I was a Christian, I would hear people say things like “I heard God say” or “God spoke to me and told me___” and I never understood how that could be possible. When I was saved, I thought maybe a switch would go off and I’d have some secret access to God’s voice. But nope, it doesn’t exactly work like that. It frustrated me for a long time. I spent so much time LISTENING, but never enough time (or time at all) SEEKING. I’d sit around and wait for God to start the conversation when I now know that He was waiting for me to engage and seek Him. I wasn’t in the Word.
Last night, I had one of those moments where I was desperate to hear God’s voice. I fell to my knees and prayed for God to speak into my life at that moment. I’ve been in a funk, I haven’t been patient with God, I’ve wanted everything MY WAY, not His. But then, I sat up, climbed back into bed, opened my devotional book, and that day’s devotional was about TRUST. Then I recall that earlier that night, my best friend sent me a picture of how she decorated her new home. In that picture, she had a sign with the verse Isaiah 60:22. Out of curiosity, I looked up the verse.
“The smallest family will become a thousand people, and the tiniest group will become a mighty nation. At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen”.
I HEAR YOU LOUD AND CLEAR LORD! How amazing is that?! I may not have heard an audible voice, but I could hear God as if He was sitting in my room right next to me. I was looking, seeking, and ASKING for Him to speak into my life, and He did. I’ve been struggling with trusting His timing and allowing Him to work things out for me. I’ve been impatient; trying to take things into my own hands. But this encounter with the Lord brought me back to a place of trust, patience, and contentment with where I am right now. The comfort I felt from knowing He was right there, in scripture and in the world, was overwhelming. I could feel His presence. God knows what I need way better than I do. How do I expect to hear His voice without reading His word? He has so much He wants to say to me, but I can’t hear Him if my bible is shut.
If you feel like you don’t hear from God, don’t fret. He is ALWAYS there for us, he doesn’t leave us (Deuteronomy 31:8). Sometimes it seems like God isn’t listening, working, making a way, etc. But He is. Trust in that. We need to be actively seeking God in our lives every day. If you want to hear His voice, start the conversation, then listen. Open your Bible. Seek His face.
Written by Catey Stover: Catey Stover serves in Marketing at America’s Keswick. She loves the Lord and has a heart for serving others, especially the next generation.
Think About This: “On your very worst, most rebellious, and most faithless day, you can run into the holy presence of your heavenly Father and he will not turn you away.”―
The Daily Bible Reading: Reflection | You can download our 2021 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here.
