Hearing From God
Prior to leaving for Cape Town, South Africa on June 1 I was in a drought. A drought with God. We were still on speaking terms but I was not really hearing much from Him. Over the last two years or so, God and I have gotten on amazing speaking terms. Prior to joining Antioch and going through ATS, my relationship with God could best be described as very shallow and one sided. I spent a lot of time talking at God and promptly running away once I whispered or sometimes shouted my requests. I had good intentions but did not really know or expect that God would really talk back to me. However, after coming to Antioch and beginning in ATS I began to learn that God wanted to talk to me even more than I wanted to talk to Him. In fact, He always wants to talk with me. To share His love and approval, to give guidance, wisdom, and direction. There is never a time when He does not have something to share with me.
But prior to our leaving for a mission trip to Cape Town I found myself wondering why I was not hearing from God. Ironically enough, once we got to Cape Town we discovered that the city and surrounding area were in a severe drought. They said that the city was down to a 10 day supply of drinking water and water rationing was in place. Wow! Cape Town was in a drought and I was too. The city was desperate for rain that would replenish the water supply. It is not until you are running out of water or without it completely that you sit back and realize how dependent your life is on water. How so many basic functions of everyday life are based on an assumption that you have water to do them. I was feeling a similar level of desperation in my relationship with God. In my growing relationship with God I had become very accustomed to talking to Him and hearing a response. But something was wrong. I felt disconnected. I felt isolated in some ways. I felt like there was something keeping me from hearing God. Wrong. Lies. Did you know your feelings can be dishonest or not based upon what is really true? The reality was God was right there, in the same place, just like He always is; waiting on me to sit still and listen.
Cape Town was longing for rain. I was longing to hear from God. Cape Town got it's rain. Matter of fact while we were there they had their biggest rain storm in 30 years! It was crazy. The whole town shut down for the day! They stayed in their houses and let the rain fall. They sat still and received what they needed so desperately. Cape Town taught me many lessons and one of the most important was to sit still. To sit and be still and allow God to speak. Seems simple and it is, but it is not always so easy. I tend to move from the pursuit of one thing to the pursuit of another. On my best days I move from one item on my to do list to the next. On my worst days, I seem to bounce from one thing to the next just knowing I need to accomplish something. I am marked by movement. By doing. Not by sitting still. However, most of the time God speaks to me when I sit still and allow Him time and space to speak. My drought of not hearing from God ended in Cape Town because I finally sat still and gave God the opportunity to speak; and He did! The refreshing rain of His voice came and the flood gates opened. I began to have conversations with Him all of the time. Even when I was not sitting still but moving thru my day! I found that as I turned my thoughts to Him and talked to Him and listened, He would speak.
If you would have told me two and a half years ago that I would be in Cape Town, South Africa on a mission trip, I would have told you you were crazy. But here I was in a foreign country, having a conversation with God and He was telling me to go look for a dark skinned, young lady and give her a bracelet I had brought from the States. When I saw the picture of the young woman in my head and heard what God said, I was both excited and scared at the same time. What was I suppose to say? I had no idea. But I went into the day at Cavendish Mall with my eyes open, looking for a particular young lady. As four of us were standing and talking in Seattle Coffee Company I looked over and saw her. She looked exactly as I had pictured her in my mind and God said this is the one. I was a bit nervous but I walked over and tried to calmly introduce myself to her. I explained what God had shown me and handed her the bracelet that had Philippians 4:13. After I gave it to her, God gave me the words to say and I encouraged her with God's love and faithfulness for her. She slowly warmed up and began to smile as I turned to leave. As I walked out of the store God said, "Good job son! I am proud of you!" That was all I needed to hear. My heavenly Daddy was proud of me. I had done what He had told me to do, even though it was a bit uncomfortable and I could feel His pleasure.
I think that deep down everyone wants to hear from God. Our heart is longing to communicate with the One who created it. Religion may have told you that God does not speak. Sin may have quieted His voice so much that we are having trouble hearing it. Busyness may have you moving so much that you cannot think straight. I know because I have been there before. All these things and others have put me in an unfavorable position for hearing from God. Nothing has ever stopped God from wanting to speak to us. He is only waiting for us to turn our attention to Him and talk. Like a friend talks to a friend. Do you want to hear from God? Good. He wants to talk to you. I encourage you to get alone. Sit still. Open your mouth. Talk to Him and sit back and listen. His voice will most likely sound like your own in your head but you will know it is Him because the thoughts you are thinking are not your own. They are higher, loftier, grander. Amazingly enough the God of creation wants to talk to you and me. And just as amazing, He wants us to talk to Him. So let the refreshing rain of His words begin to flow so that you can be filled to overflowing. Hearing from God is an unending flow of communication that can carry us if we will let it. So let it!
But prior to our leaving for a mission trip to Cape Town I found myself wondering why I was not hearing from God. Ironically enough, once we got to Cape Town we discovered that the city and surrounding area were in a severe drought. They said that the city was down to a 10 day supply of drinking water and water rationing was in place. Wow! Cape Town was in a drought and I was too. The city was desperate for rain that would replenish the water supply. It is not until you are running out of water or without it completely that you sit back and realize how dependent your life is on water. How so many basic functions of everyday life are based on an assumption that you have water to do them. I was feeling a similar level of desperation in my relationship with God. In my growing relationship with God I had become very accustomed to talking to Him and hearing a response. But something was wrong. I felt disconnected. I felt isolated in some ways. I felt like there was something keeping me from hearing God. Wrong. Lies. Did you know your feelings can be dishonest or not based upon what is really true? The reality was God was right there, in the same place, just like He always is; waiting on me to sit still and listen.
Cape Town was longing for rain. I was longing to hear from God. Cape Town got it's rain. Matter of fact while we were there they had their biggest rain storm in 30 years! It was crazy. The whole town shut down for the day! They stayed in their houses and let the rain fall. They sat still and received what they needed so desperately. Cape Town taught me many lessons and one of the most important was to sit still. To sit and be still and allow God to speak. Seems simple and it is, but it is not always so easy. I tend to move from the pursuit of one thing to the pursuit of another. On my best days I move from one item on my to do list to the next. On my worst days, I seem to bounce from one thing to the next just knowing I need to accomplish something. I am marked by movement. By doing. Not by sitting still. However, most of the time God speaks to me when I sit still and allow Him time and space to speak. My drought of not hearing from God ended in Cape Town because I finally sat still and gave God the opportunity to speak; and He did! The refreshing rain of His voice came and the flood gates opened. I began to have conversations with Him all of the time. Even when I was not sitting still but moving thru my day! I found that as I turned my thoughts to Him and talked to Him and listened, He would speak.
If you would have told me two and a half years ago that I would be in Cape Town, South Africa on a mission trip, I would have told you you were crazy. But here I was in a foreign country, having a conversation with God and He was telling me to go look for a dark skinned, young lady and give her a bracelet I had brought from the States. When I saw the picture of the young woman in my head and heard what God said, I was both excited and scared at the same time. What was I suppose to say? I had no idea. But I went into the day at Cavendish Mall with my eyes open, looking for a particular young lady. As four of us were standing and talking in Seattle Coffee Company I looked over and saw her. She looked exactly as I had pictured her in my mind and God said this is the one. I was a bit nervous but I walked over and tried to calmly introduce myself to her. I explained what God had shown me and handed her the bracelet that had Philippians 4:13. After I gave it to her, God gave me the words to say and I encouraged her with God's love and faithfulness for her. She slowly warmed up and began to smile as I turned to leave. As I walked out of the store God said, "Good job son! I am proud of you!" That was all I needed to hear. My heavenly Daddy was proud of me. I had done what He had told me to do, even though it was a bit uncomfortable and I could feel His pleasure.
I think that deep down everyone wants to hear from God. Our heart is longing to communicate with the One who created it. Religion may have told you that God does not speak. Sin may have quieted His voice so much that we are having trouble hearing it. Busyness may have you moving so much that you cannot think straight. I know because I have been there before. All these things and others have put me in an unfavorable position for hearing from God. Nothing has ever stopped God from wanting to speak to us. He is only waiting for us to turn our attention to Him and talk. Like a friend talks to a friend. Do you want to hear from God? Good. He wants to talk to you. I encourage you to get alone. Sit still. Open your mouth. Talk to Him and sit back and listen. His voice will most likely sound like your own in your head but you will know it is Him because the thoughts you are thinking are not your own. They are higher, loftier, grander. Amazingly enough the God of creation wants to talk to you and me. And just as amazing, He wants us to talk to Him. So let the refreshing rain of His words begin to flow so that you can be filled to overflowing. Hearing from God is an unending flow of communication that can carry us if we will let it. So let it!
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