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Learning To Listen To God
By: Rosemary Gwaltney - 2005
Most of my life, I prayed without actually trying to directly hear from God. I was thanking Him for things, and asking Him for things, but it was usually pretty much a one-sided conversation. I always knew He was listening, and would guide me, but did not know how to actively seek His response.
Through the last few years, this has changed radically. My prayer life has moved from simply asking for help, and thanking God for everything good, to something much deeper. It moved to thanking God for everything, even severe trials, because my faith in His wisdom was complete. This was a spiritual surrender different than anything I had ever known. Then I began spending regular time in silence, asking God to show me what to do; to guide me. The more time I spent attempting to communicate thus, with Him, the closer to Him I began to feel.
People who have been given very busy vocations and lives, are perhaps slow at learning to become aware of God's voice. I am speaking for myself here. It takes a lot of self discipline to create a time and place to tune out one's daily noise. But that is necessary in order for us to become cognizant of the intimacy that God desires us to experience with Him. I spent my first thirty-some years of adulthood in a very busy, noisy world, working hard at the calling Christ had given me, adopting children with disabilities. My prayers generally were only as long as my children could sit still for. There was little silence for me. Therefore, there were few quiet times of solitude, which was what I needed for tuning in to my Saviour. That began to change when my children were mostly grown.
Relationships are formed by people associating with each other. The more a person talks with another, asks opinions and advice, and shares feelings, strengths and weaknesses, the easier it becomes. The more a person listens to the other person, the more true communication is developed. Could a true relationship grow if only one listened, and the other did all the talking? Of course not. The more communication there is, the closer the relationship becomes.
It is the same with God. And the Bible assured us that He wants His children to communicate with Him.
Call unto me and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. Jeremiah 33:3
Well, how does he answer us? That has occupied much of my thinking during the last few years. He does promise to reply, if we ask Him to.
The more I communicate with Him, the more connected with Him I feel. By communicate, I don't mean beg for help in hard times, and forget Him the rest of the time. The prayers of youth are often like that. But if a person sincerely tries to listen for guidance from the Holy Spirit, one-sided pleading gradually transforms into a holy communing. Though my prayers are often out loud, I listen in silence. The silence takes me inward, upward, sometimes through tears.
They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. Psalms 126:5
How can one "listen" for guidance from God? The place to begin is examining one's own conscience. The things we think are right and wrong, probably are. Though life's complexities are certainly not that simple, at least these provide a good start.
Just as God speaks to us through the verses of His Holy Word, and the words of hymns, He also speaks to us through what we have learned through childhood teachings, spiritual mentors, life experiences, Christian fellowship, and pastors' sermons, to name a few. A conscience grows aware of right and wrong, through our teachings. And the more keenly aware it becomes, the better God can guide us, using it.
My sheep hear my voice. John 10:27
Over the past year, God drew closer to me through a new experience. I came to realize that something I had been praying for, year after year, was perhaps, not what God planned to give me after all. This was a very important desire, and I felt miserable without it. However, at last I turned it over to Him, and began to ask Him instead, to change my desire to something else. I knew He was able to give me my heart's longing anyway, but it seemed impossible for this time in my life. This was the first time I had ever done this, with a deep and pressing emotional need. Yet was it truly a need, or simply a want? I no longer was certain. What I WAS certain about, was my deep and pressing desire to please God. When I truly turned the issue over to Him, a great peace was given to me. God had indeed, shown me a "great and mighty thing", in teaching me to place this desire in His hands, and let go of it. That peace was so wonderful, it became plain to see, that peace was what I had needed most.
Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. Matthew 6:8
Experiencing inner peace is a sign that you are following the right path. Regardless of what earthly disasters you might be struggling through, God's peace will surround you when you raise your eyes to Him in trust and love.
So following one's conscience is the starting point. Opening one's mind and heart to the possiblity that you might be on the wrong track, is another road. Many times I have used a "Gideon's fleece" through my life, when making decisions. My mother taught me this. Along with my decision, I have asked God not to allow it to happen, if it was not His will. At times I have gotten what I wanted, and then was greatly disappointed, to find that it wasn't how I expected it to be.
If I had not prayed beforehand, I tortured myself with remorse. But if I had prayed beforehand, I always remained firm in my belief that I had done the right thing. That no matter what it looked like, I was on the right path, because God's power is omnipotent, and even if I stumbled, His hand would steady and protect me, and those I loved.
The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever. Psalm 138:8a
Choosing a specific time of day or night to pray, is a good thing. It keeps your mind focused more on God, as you watch the clock through your life. When I began to pray for my husband every morning as soon as I awoke, God began to bless me. The cheer and peace I felt were unmistakably His gifts.
The people a person spends the most time with, will be the ones that grow closest to them.
Likewise, the more time a person spends with God, the more deeply they will experience Him.
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! Psalm 138:17
By: Rosemary Gwaltney - 2005
Most of my life, I prayed without actually trying to directly hear from God. I was thanking Him for things, and asking Him for things, but it was usually pretty much a one-sided conversation. I always knew He was listening, and would guide me, but did not know how to actively seek His response.
Through the last few years, this has changed radically. My prayer life has moved from simply asking for help, and thanking God for everything good, to something much deeper. It moved to thanking God for everything, even severe trials, because my faith in His wisdom was complete. This was a spiritual surrender different than anything I had ever known. Then I began spending regular time in silence, asking God to show me what to do; to guide me. The more time I spent attempting to communicate thus, with Him, the closer to Him I began to feel.
People who have been given very busy vocations and lives, are perhaps slow at learning to become aware of God's voice. I am speaking for myself here. It takes a lot of self discipline to create a time and place to tune out one's daily noise. But that is necessary in order for us to become cognizant of the intimacy that God desires us to experience with Him. I spent my first thirty-some years of adulthood in a very busy, noisy world, working hard at the calling Christ had given me, adopting children with disabilities. My prayers generally were only as long as my children could sit still for. There was little silence for me. Therefore, there were few quiet times of solitude, which was what I needed for tuning in to my Saviour. That began to change when my children were mostly grown.
Relationships are formed by people associating with each other. The more a person talks with another, asks opinions and advice, and shares feelings, strengths and weaknesses, the easier it becomes. The more a person listens to the other person, the more true communication is developed. Could a true relationship grow if only one listened, and the other did all the talking? Of course not. The more communication there is, the closer the relationship becomes.
It is the same with God. And the Bible assured us that He wants His children to communicate with Him.
Call unto me and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. Jeremiah 33:3
Well, how does he answer us? That has occupied much of my thinking during the last few years. He does promise to reply, if we ask Him to.
The more I communicate with Him, the more connected with Him I feel. By communicate, I don't mean beg for help in hard times, and forget Him the rest of the time. The prayers of youth are often like that. But if a person sincerely tries to listen for guidance from the Holy Spirit, one-sided pleading gradually transforms into a holy communing. Though my prayers are often out loud, I listen in silence. The silence takes me inward, upward, sometimes through tears.
They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. Psalms 126:5
How can one "listen" for guidance from God? The place to begin is examining one's own conscience. The things we think are right and wrong, probably are. Though life's complexities are certainly not that simple, at least these provide a good start.
Just as God speaks to us through the verses of His Holy Word, and the words of hymns, He also speaks to us through what we have learned through childhood teachings, spiritual mentors, life experiences, Christian fellowship, and pastors' sermons, to name a few. A conscience grows aware of right and wrong, through our teachings. And the more keenly aware it becomes, the better God can guide us, using it.
My sheep hear my voice. John 10:27
Over the past year, God drew closer to me through a new experience. I came to realize that something I had been praying for, year after year, was perhaps, not what God planned to give me after all. This was a very important desire, and I felt miserable without it. However, at last I turned it over to Him, and began to ask Him instead, to change my desire to something else. I knew He was able to give me my heart's longing anyway, but it seemed impossible for this time in my life. This was the first time I had ever done this, with a deep and pressing emotional need. Yet was it truly a need, or simply a want? I no longer was certain. What I WAS certain about, was my deep and pressing desire to please God. When I truly turned the issue over to Him, a great peace was given to me. God had indeed, shown me a "great and mighty thing", in teaching me to place this desire in His hands, and let go of it. That peace was so wonderful, it became plain to see, that peace was what I had needed most.
Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. Matthew 6:8
Experiencing inner peace is a sign that you are following the right path. Regardless of what earthly disasters you might be struggling through, God's peace will surround you when you raise your eyes to Him in trust and love.
So following one's conscience is the starting point. Opening one's mind and heart to the possiblity that you might be on the wrong track, is another road. Many times I have used a "Gideon's fleece" through my life, when making decisions. My mother taught me this. Along with my decision, I have asked God not to allow it to happen, if it was not His will. At times I have gotten what I wanted, and then was greatly disappointed, to find that it wasn't how I expected it to be.
If I had not prayed beforehand, I tortured myself with remorse. But if I had prayed beforehand, I always remained firm in my belief that I had done the right thing. That no matter what it looked like, I was on the right path, because God's power is omnipotent, and even if I stumbled, His hand would steady and protect me, and those I loved.
The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever. Psalm 138:8a
Choosing a specific time of day or night to pray, is a good thing. It keeps your mind focused more on God, as you watch the clock through your life. When I began to pray for my husband every morning as soon as I awoke, God began to bless me. The cheer and peace I felt were unmistakably His gifts.
The people a person spends the most time with, will be the ones that grow closest to them.
Likewise, the more time a person spends with God, the more deeply they will experience Him.
How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! Psalm 138:17
