listening

Develop the Discipline

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Instead of giving God your list of needs and wants in prayer, why not go to Him just to listen?  God has something to say, but so many times we are in such a hurry in our prayer time that we never give Him a chance.  For many years I neglected this part of communication with the Father.  I’ve done what everyone else has done in prayer, I’ve rattled off my top needs, offered some thanksgiving and a little pinch of praise and then hit the “Send” button.  I’ve prayed as if God wasn’t listening in that present moment but would get around to it later on and then in some way respond.

It’s absolutely critical to our walk with God to develop the discipline of listening to God in prayer.  Listening is as much prayer as talking!  The high priest told Samuel when he was just a little boy to tell the Lord he was listening when He called.

1 Samuel 3:9-10 “Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and it shall be, if He calls you, that you must say, ‘Speak, LORD, for Your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 Now the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for Your servant hears.”

Learning to listen to God in prayer will be a challenge because we’ve been taught to talk and sitting in silence waiting for God to speak is not our strong suit.  That’s why you have to develop this discipline, because God sees us in prayer and delights when He sees us not in a rush, but deeply interested in what He has to say.  Think about it, shouldn’t the main speaker in our prayer time be God?  Think about it, doesn’t God already know our list of needs?  Yes and yes, and don’t misunderstand, God wants us to pour our hearts out to Him, but He also wants to get a word in and communicate love and guidance in our lives.  The next time you go to God in prayer, go to listen instead of listing out the needs.  When it comes to your relationship with God, develop the discipline of listening and when He speaks, just say, “Yes Lord!”

Matthew 17:5 “While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”

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What is God Saying?

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Spiritually, most of us would make excellent offensive lineman blocking anyone trying to get to the quarterback of our hearts and lives.  God is trying to get through to you and me, but we have this most frustrating habit of placing Him on hold for long periods of time hoping He will hang up and use the automated system of our lives.  Sometimes you need to get away to hear what God is saying to you.  Sometimes you need a crisis to help tune you in.  Sometimes you just need to be desperate to hear Him.  Spiritual  deafness even happens to some of the most faithful followers.  Elijah was a faithful prophet who desperately needed to hear God’s voice.

“Then He(God) said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the LORD, [but] the LORD [was] not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, [but] the LORD [was] not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, [but] the LORD [was] not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” 1 Kings 19:11-12

The strong wind, earthquake, and fire were only meant to draw Elijah’s attention, but the voice of the Lord came after.  I believe with the pandemic God has the attention of many people, and now we should listen for His distinct voice speaking like a whisper.  Look at what God said.

“So it was, when Elijah heard [it,] that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice [came] to him, and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”  1 Kings 19:13

God may want to ask you the same question, “What are you doing here?”  What God is saying to me using this scripture is that God is where you are right now, and He is patiently waiting for all the noises that have captured your attention to fade out to speak to you.  God is speaking to you.  What is He saying?

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