God IS speaking…can you hear Him? – Part 1

God just can’t keep quiet. He is talking all the time and in many ways. I hear Him constantly. I see Him in everything and He OFTEN speaks directly to me.

Now, before you instantly dismiss me, let me explain. I don’t hear the audible voice of God booming from the sky. I don’t see God’s finger writing on a wall. But I hear God speaking to me every single day. In fact, I often hear Him multiple times a day.

The key to hearing is listening and the key to listening is having a relationship. Ask yourself this; if I am in need of advice who am I more apt to listen to, a stranger on the street or my spouse/a friend/ a family member? It’s possible you answered “stranger on the street” and if so, my heart just broke for you. Trust filled relationships are a part of life and if you are lacking those relationships, it is time for some introspection and time to reach out.

I would hope you answered “spouse/friend/family” as someone you would listen to if you were in need of advice. A relationship gives a person license to speak into your life. Ooooh, license, that’s a scary word! Relationships are built on trust and that license to speak is offered in trust.

Now, you may willy-nilly give that license away to everyone, but I hope not. Some people may take the license to speak into your life even when you have not offered it to them. You need to discern the words you receive from others because they may not come from pure motives. Because we are of the human race, people often have agendas (though they may hidden, even to them) behind what they say. That is why discernment is a part of listening. If you know someone’s heart towards you (and it is one of pure love), you can typically trust their words towards you.

However, one voice is always trustworthy. One voice always has your best in mind. One voice loves you, no matter what you’ve done or who you are or are not. That voice is God’s and He can speak to you at any point and time because of who He is. However, having a relationship with Him and learning to hear His voice and discern it opens the door to frequent communication. I have constant communication with Him all day, every day and I hear Him speak back to me because I am attentive for His voice. Lest you want to float me down the river, let me give you an example of how He has recently spoken to me.

I am on a Portland to Coast (PTC) Team. If you are not familiar with that event, it is a relay race where you walk 129 miles, relay style with team members, from Portland, Oregon to Seaside, Oregon. It is a crazy fun time with major sleep deprivation and lots and LOTS of laughter. This year, I was in Van 1 and we were set to start walking at 4:15 AM (I said it was a crazy time, right?!). So, I was awake at 1:15AM before the rest of my Van-mates and was able to sneak in my devotional time. The theme of my daily devotion (dated for THAT day) was “The Comfort of the Holy Spirit” and the scripture referenced to read was John 14:15-31:

I read my devotion and the scripture referenced, had my prayer time then began to get ready for the start of the race. Now, the PTC Race consists of 24 legs, walked relay style. Because this was my 10th year on the team, the captain graciously allowed me to hand pick my legs. After a bit of thought, I chose the same legs I had walked 10 years prior, my first time on the team. The combo I chose are rated the “most difficult” legs on the route because of their length and elevation gain. In the world, that makes NO sense that I would select those legs, especially being the most senior member of the team, but I did it. So, as I am walking on a busy 5 lane highway at 9AM in the morning, dressed as a GoGo Girl, God spoke to me. I didn’t hear His voice, but I saw what He put on a sign for Me, little ‘ol GoGo me.

There was a Church/School directly across the busy 5 lane highway and their reader sign said this: “The Holy Spirit: Comforter of Man – John 14:15-31”. Seriously?! Seriously, seriously?!?! I had to stop and take a picture of it (see below) as I was in utter amazement and filled with overwhelming Joy upon seeing that sign.

You may read this and think, “Big Deal, that is just a coincidence.” But, I want to encourage you to SEE that was a direct message for me from God. If me just telling you that I believe that is not enough, let’s review the facts:

1. I had 12 different options of “legs” to choose from.
2. I chose the most difficult rated legs on the race, even though I could have chosen the easiest.
3. I took the time to read my devotional that morning at 1:15 AM.
4. I noticed that church’s sign across that busy 5 lane highway.
5. There are 66 books in the Bible.
6. There are 52 Sundays a year.
7. This is the Only Verse that is translated as the Holy Spirit being our Comforter.

So, if I had NOT chosen those legs to walk and had NOT read my devotional that morning and had NOT noticed that church’s sign and they had NOT chosen that EXACT scripture for their message AND posted it on their sign, I would have NOT been built up, encouraged and dare I say “Comforted” like I was at that moment.

John 14:16 (KJV) And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever.

Regardless of what you think about this experience, I was comforted, I was encouraged and I KNOW how God lined everything up to make me feel like His spoiled, loved and beloved daughter. I felt like I had just received a hug from the King of Everything and it put a HUGE grin on my GoGo face (see pic).

But, here is the “catch”, I had to be connected with Him to receive that message in its fullness. If I had skipped my devotional that morning, I would have not received that “sacred echo”. I might have still noticed the sign and appreciated the message, but it would not have had the impact on my heart that it did. I love hearing from God, I expect to hear from Him and because I am in close relationship with Him, I do hear Him speak on a daily basis.

I encourage you to open the door to a relationship with Him. That relationship doesn’t have to have a set of “rules” or a “hard schedule” attached to it. It is just a drawing close to Him, however that looks for YOU. Take Quiet Time to just SIT with Him, read His Word, perhaps connect with Him through a devotional or listening to Christian music. Bottom line is to Make the Time to Just Be Available to Him. As you honor Him with your time, He WILL speak to you, I KNOW it!

James 4:8 (TLB) And when you draw close to God and He will draw close to you.

May your day be blessed and may you receive a Hug from the King of Everything!

Pamela

Stay Tuned for Part 2 of God IS Speaking, can you hear Him?