Uniquely You...Choose to Listen

I had always been in awe when people would tell me that God spoke to them.

It seemed so casual when people would say it in a conversation. Someone would randomly comment, "God told me that was the right decision," or "God spoke to me, and so I got up and took action."

And I always had the same question….

WHAT DID HE SOUND LIKE?!?

Has this ever happened to you? Do you wonder the same thing? What I have realized is that what they often mean is they had a thought, a feeling, or an urge to do something out of the ordinary; and that I totally understand. And along with that thought or urge often comes a sense of clarity, calmness, and assurance.

I've had moments of a thought coming out of the blue and realizing that, while it came from within me, it wasn't from me. I've had impulses that I have ignored, which have nagged at me endlessly until I have acted on them.

I've looked back on situations where I didn't feel God's presence in my actions but later saw His hand guiding all of it. I personally have not heard God's voice audibly, but there are ways He definitely speaks to me.

“Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;

he's the one who will keep you on track.”

Proverbs 3:6 (MSG)

I personally think God speaks to us in unique ways, just as we are unique and our relationship with God is unique. And I think that's how God works. He meets us where we're at. He speaks our language and waits for us to listen. In the book Nine Ways God Speaks, the authors say, "The burden of discerning God's communication isn't on the speaker; it's on the listener."

Sometimes God is very subtle in the way He speaks.

It's up to us to pay attention. If we want to be good listeners, we actually have to stop talking!

But even if we're not saying a word, if we want to hear what God has to say, it might be a good idea to give Him the room to speak in between the radio and the television and being on our smart phone! It might be the courteous thing to give Him some wiggle room. I don't think this because He can't get His message across through all the noise. He can. He can do anything.

The noise makes it harder for me to listen...and that part of the relationship is all up to me. I have heard different examples from people on how God speaks to them. That's the beauty of being unique. We all get to figure out how God works in and speaks to us as we go along.

What I have learned is that my job is to be intentional in being aware and present in every moment so I make sure I am listening to His call, something I would never want to miss.

How are you being intentional in listening to God speak? Are you being uniquely you?

With love and joy,

Laura