Are you hard at hearing? Now I don’t mean a disability. I mean are you hard at hearing when it comes to the voice of God? I used to pray and pray and pray and pray and wonder why oh why do I not hear back from God. I’m certain God will have me write about prayer one day, but today it is hearing.

You know how you meet someone then maybe a bit later you see them and they say “oh hey!”, but you have to look at use your eyes to recognize them, your memory to remember them? Their voice wasn’t keenly recognizable in your ears. However, when you hear someone close to you say “hey!”, you don’t even have to look up. You know them because their voice is etched in our ears, in your heart, you have exchanged many words with them – so beyond a doubt, you know who is speaking to you. Well that is the type of relationship I desired with God. I wanted to ask Him all the things and have Him answer all the things. I was so very tired of making decisions or choices just to come to find out there was a better option. Or to have to wonder if the choice was right. There’s more that goes in to this than just hearing God, (meaning my own wounds or fears etc) but I wanted to know beyond knowing that God had answered.

You feel me? Remember that show that allowed you to call a life line? The one person who you thought had the best possibility of answering the question? Well, God is our life line folks. The only one with the answers. The only one with the ways. The only one with the decision. The only one. Period. When we walk with Him, when we spend time with Him, when we ask Him all the things……and we WAIT on Him. He is faithful to be our guidance. To be our counselor. To be our defender. Aaaah – wait? Yes, wait!

Hearing God takes practice. Hearing God takes time – just like getting to know someone. You get to know God by reading His word. Paying attention to Gods character. Learning how He used circumstances in peoples lives to grow them. To better them. To glorify Himself. There are books on the topic – I believe they helped me but practice, time with God and journaling my questions and thoughts and what I heard God say, confirming what I heard can be backed up in scripture was the key. Each day spend time with God. Write down your prayers. Pray them to God. Ask God “What do you need me to know about this?” Or “What are your prayers for this?” And wait. Write down what God answers. I’d love to hear from you when you hear God.

A couple of years ago I was asked to speak at a women’s retreat. I praise God that He knows me so well that He had already shown me that I would speak. So, my freak out factor wasn’t overly high. I don’t want to share too much – except what pertains to hearing God. I had been asking God to hear Him in conversation. Literally, as I am talking to someone, I desired to hear what God would have me say. I had spent much time with God on the topic that I was to speak on. He had given me all the information. I was as familiar with it as I could be. Then came the ringer. I felt God ask me to throw out my prepared note cards. That He wanted to change it up. THE NIGHT BEFORE I WAS TO SPEAK. I obeyed. I cried. I sat on the bed and prayed with my prayer partner and asked God “ok, Lord I am ready. Just tell me what to change.” My pencil waited for His instruction. And waited. Nothing came. Nothing. I resolved to prayer that night. I told The Lord that I was going down to that room and I was going to stand in front of those women and that I trusted He was not going to have me stand there empty. The next morning there was still nothing from the Lord. It was time to head to room where I was assigned and my hands were shaking by the time the first woman walked in. I. Had. Nothing. What do you do when you have nothing? You pray! So I did, out loud, welcoming God in my room. As I closed the prayer, it was like God took over my mouth. The words came. The content very familiar but the order assignment impromptu via God. I spoke three times that day, and all three sessions God had me mix it up for each one. Adding a verse in one that wasn’t in the others. Reading beyond what was planned in one. And guess what? It was for HIM! His glory. In each session a woman would approach and say “That was meant for me!”, thank you. But all I could say was “Thank you, God.” For your faithfulness.

If I would have relied on my own abilities or words or experience, I would have missed out big time on a blessing. On an answered prayer. On hearing God. But choosing to trust God is faithful taught me how to hear God. Would I have chosen in front of that many woman for a lesson? Oh no! But God, He knows best. So I wait….on another experience to hear Him.