Hearing Check-up
Isaiah 30: 21
Your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.”
Some people wonder if they are really supposed to hear God speaking to them. In light of this verse, what do you think? Of course, you know I believe in a close communion with God at all times. Not having it is what drove me to Anaheim. I went there determined to “get God.” I was already saved, had been for many years so it wasn’t a matter of salvation. I knew we were supposed to hear Him speak with us. I had read the Bible, and believed it. That meant I was missing something that had been promised.
God wants to speak to you. Better still, He wants to speak with you. He wants conversation, two-way exchange. He wants to live the “Intertwined” life which is the theme of Ivey Ministries. It was His idea. Daily guidance is achieved through hearing His voice in your ear as well as feeling the nudge in your spirit. If He is going to show us the path in which to walk, we need to be able to receive His guidance and that comes by God speaking to you and directing your steps.
If you don’t think you are hearing all of God that you should, let’s talk. Contact me and I can assist you. Here are some tips though. First of all, you might need to practice hearing His voice. Get into a quiet spot. Calm down your physiology and then quiet your internal dialogue. Some people like perfect quiet. I do better with nature sounds in the background. Breathe! That is my number one tip. You will be surprised what a couple of deep breaths do for you. Focus on your breathing. Perhaps you would like to inhale for a count of four, hold that breath for a four count and then exhale counting to four again. Do it for five seconds if you like. Counting helps bring your focus to your breath. Then, as you feel a calm descend upon you, begin to talk with the Father. Don’t “pray”. Don’t let formality enter in. Just say, “Hi Father. I thought I would come hang out with you for a while.” Then let conversation ensue just as if you were sitting across from a friend. You can ask Him a question. Don’t begin by asking the really hard questions, though. You will find it harder to hear because of your stress. Just talk with Him about bike riding or the weather. One of the funniest things that ever happened to me was a conversation with Him while I was riding my bike one day. It came so naturally that there was no doubt it was him speaking.
Also, I find the discipline of writing down what I hear going through my head helps me focus. I learned two-way journaling from my friends at CWG Ministries. Check out two-way journaling here. You can also read some of what God has said to me while journaling here. I took the 4 Keys to Hearing God’s Voice course. You can too.
The biggest part of hearing God’s voice, though, is deciding to. If you want to hear Him, if you are determined to, then you will. If it is not a priority with you, then it is going to be a bigger challenge. For those of you who understand that speaking with God is part of your inheritance, I wish to encourage you to seek this great relationship piece with all your might. Hopefully, you won’t have to fly 2500 miles away to get it but do what you need to do.
