Being Good Listeners

How do you hear God? Do you hear his voice in your head, maybe in your own voice? Do you hear him speak in the thunder? Or in the wind? Perhaps you hear his voice in the words of a friend, or your pastor, or you mother.

…The sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, ad his sheep follow him because they know his voice. John 10:3-4

When I was younger I was always fairly certain what to do. I had trained myself to listen for the voice of God, and when I was uncertain I just asked. God always pointed the way. He lived in me, and there was no doubt in me which voice was his.

Then I hit a dark period in life, and God became strangely silent. I prayed. I prayed some more. I cried. I screamed and hollered and yelled my frustration at God, and still he seemed silent. Finally I quit. I waited for the still small voice that we hear so much about. It never came. Instead of waiting to hear, I moved forward, acting on what I knew from scripture. If there were no clear direction I would do what I wanted to. I discovered that God talks to us in a variety of ways.

When my children were very young, I communicated with them in a close and intimate way. I did things with them, guiding them moment-by-moment. As they grew older my direction became less hands on and more directional. I left them lists. I reminded them to think about what they had already been taught. When they became adults they knew they could call me, but they had to rely more on the training they had received, on the knowledge they had been given and on what they knew I would say or direct them to do. If they lacked wisdom, all they had to do was ask.

I have come to believe that God communicates with us like we do with our children. Every child is different, and so every form of communication is different. My relationship with God is different than it was when I was younger, but he has never stopped communicating with me. Sometimes it’s a word from my pastor. Sometimes its clear direction; I just know what I’m supposed to do. Sometimes it’s a word from you, encouraging me or saying exactly what I know he wants me to hear. Sometimes he gives me the desires he wants me to have.

Most of the time it is through his word. As I read and meditate and study I get to know him and his nature better. As I know his nature, I can understand what he would have me do and how he would have me live. I take on the mind of Christ, becoming more like him.

God speaks to all of us. His word is abundantly available, especially here in the United States. The trick is to learn to listen, to apply his word to our lives and to be obedient.

Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion…See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sins deceitfulness. 

Hebrews 3:17-18, 12-13

We help each other hear the voice of God. We help each other obey. A young friend of mine worries because she doesn’t feel like she hears God. She belongs to him. He lives in her. It takes time and training to distinguish his voice from the multitude of others that shout into our lives. It is up to her to study to know him. It is up to me to help her.