Rhythmic Chat Part Tres

Do I hear God speak? Is it God, or is it me? I’m I hearing what I want to hear? Why can others hear Him so clearly, and I feel lost? I get confused. I’m unsure. I don’t know. I doubt. I over analyze. I over think.

These may not be your thoughts on hearing the Lord speak, but they sure have been mine from time to time.

I do want to hear for the Lord. I do want to feel close to Him and learn how He is getting through to me in my daily walk. For me, hearing the voice of the Lord is not an easy subject. I strongly believe that there is a rhythmic flow of how the Lord speaks to us, and that flow can be individualized. I don’t think there is a cookie cutter lesson plan to hearing the Lord speak. If there is a cookie cutter answer, I’d love for someone to send me the pattern. However, I think there are a few staples that bring confidence in knowing that we heard from the Lord.   

I encourage you to read John 10:1-18. It explains: His sheep hear my voice. This says that when the Lord speaks (so He does speak) we will recognize His voice.

Often I feel as if we think the Lord is going to speak like a big booming voice behind a curtain, as in the movie, The Wizard of Oz. For me, I wish it was that clear and easy. But, for most of us, I think the voice comes from developing a relationship with the Lord, praying, meditating, listening, having eyes of faith, and spiritually tuned ears.

I’ve been filled with doubt, wondering if I really heard God, or wondering if He was really directing me. My answer to that is trust. I don’t think it is healthy to be filled with doubt. God wants us to trust him. We are meant to put our hope, trust, and confidence in the Lord. Yes, being human I make mistakes, and I may not get the message correct. Making mistakes should not shake my confidence. For me, hearing the Lord is a process. Hopefully the more I try to hear from the Lord, the better I’ll be at it.

One thing that I really do know: The Lord is not confusion.  Let go of the figuring it all out, over analyzing, and the trying to make it happen approach.

I asked the Lord to talk to me about something, and I felt so strongly about the answer. Then I started getting something that contradicted the answer I felt the Lord gave me. Many times I went to the Lord and said, this does not match up. One answer is positive, and one is telling me to give up….it can’t be both!!!  God is not confusion. I kept on the subject, and I asked the Lord to talk to me clearly. Yes, ask the Lord to talk to you clearly. God is not going to confuse you. Which leads me to my next point…

Confirmation. If you feel the Lord has spoken to you. Ask for a confirmation. Pray for a confirmation. If you trust someone who you feel comfortable enough to ask them to pray with you on the subject, see if they receive anything that can confirm your message.

Peace, wisdom, and the bible are great tools for hearing the Lord. The Lord loves to talk to me through other people, songs, and sometimes nature. It’s all good. It’s all individualized. The bible mentions how the Lord used a donkey to speak to one of his people (numbers 22:21-35). He used a donkey! Now that is what I call…thinking outside the box!

Chat with God. Talk to Him about everything. Don’t approach the Lord like he’s Santa Clause and you have a wish list of things you want answered. Be sincere with your talks with the Lord. I found that when something is really heavy on my heart, that is when I somehow get an answer instantly that calms me; others times I have to wait for an answer. There are times when I feel like I’m not hearing anything…in those times I feel like He must really be working behind the scenes.

As it says in Ephesians 3:17

May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love…

Don’t feel as though God is far away. He is not. He is right here. Right here, abided in your heart. Church chat is not just for Sunday mornings. You can chat with the Lord anytime, any day, and anywhere.

Hope this was helpful, insightful, and hopefully not to chatty (but somehow that would be appropriate for this post).