The Listening Heart – Part 2

The Listening Heart – Part 2
Matters of the Heart Series

 Recognize His voice.  – How does God speak?

One of my favorite birthday cards has a svelte, classy-looking woman on the front, which says: “How do you stay so young and fit?” Upon opening the card, inside is a frazzled woman in sweats and tennis shoes, saying, “And don’t tell me diet and exercise. I tried that for an hour and it doesn’t work!”

1. He speaks through the Word. However it takes spending time in the Word–meditating, memorizing to know what he is saying to you. We can’t just spend 5-10 minutes a week in the Word and expect to hear what God’s voice is saying to us on a consistent basis. (Tweet this!) We must be saturated in the Word to be able to recognize his voice, hear the nuances and inflections in His voice. He will never violate his word, but we must know what the Word teaches. I’ve always been intrigued by people who will argue a point in Scripture without having studied it. They’ve heard a teaching, or they’ve heard someone say something, or they cling to a tradition without really knowing the Word.

2. He speaks gently. In I Kings 19 Elijah is fleeing for his life from the wrath of Jezebel. He was pouting actually, feeling sorry for himself because he thought he was the only one left in the land who loved God. He came to a cave and looked for God to speak to him in a mighty wind, but the Lord was not there. Then came an earthquake. Surely God would thunder forth in the earthquake. But God was not there either. After the earthquake was a fire, but God was not there. The Amplified says, ” … and after the fire a sound of gentle, stillness and a still, small voice. … And behold, there came a voice to him and said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’” Soft, gentle.

I Samuel 3: 1-10.  Samuel thought Eli, the priest, was calling him. I don’t think it was in a loud, booming, deep, resonant voice that scared Samuel to death. It must have been soft and gentle for a young boy to have responded to it so eagerly. (An interesting point: Samuel was ministering in the house of the Lord yet he didn’t know the Lord. That’s just food for thought.)

3. He speaks inwardly. – Psalm 40:8 – “I delight to do Your will, O my God; yes, Your law is within my heart.” The Holy Spirit speaks to the believer’s spirit. Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit, that we are children of God.” It is in our spirits that we hear God speaking to us.

4. He speaks through circumstances. Romans 8:28 tells us that “All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to his purposes.” God arranges circumstances in the life of the believer to bring about his purposes. (Tweet this!) Not all circumstances are pleasant, but God will bring good out of them if we are following him in obedience.

5. He speaks through fellow believers.  “In the multitude of counselors there is safety.” Proverbs 11:14 (Amp). God will give us wise counsel through other believers.

God give us listening hearts!

What are some things you’ve learned in your journey of desiring to hear God clearly? Which of the ways listed above feels most familiar to you? What do you think of the story of Elijah where God speaks softly and gently and begins by asking Elijah a question?

If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your friends and subscribe to the blog by signing up below. You will receive my most popular recipe “Traditional Terrific Toffee” in your thank you email.

The post The Listening Heart – Part 2 appeared first on Golden Keyes Parsons.