What is going on everyone!! So this week, I will be taking a more vulnerable approach to the topic this week. Last night, I was hit with feelings of jealousy and feeling like I am too behind to be used by God, specifically with speaking. I saw a post that a friend of mine was preaching, and as I was very excited and happy for them, I was also jealous because, to be quite honest, I desire to have more opportunities to speak to people about Jesus. Side note: fellas, pray and search for a woman who will pray for you and lift you up, even when you are down and needing encouragement. There is nothing like having a girlfriend who is able to lift me up. Major shoutout to her!! The lesson in this story is that no matter where we are in life, it is never too late to hear from God. The lesson that is so important, that is, is how we can become good soil to really hear from God regarding His heart for us.
Every single day, we are constantly bombarded with things that are thrown our way that hinder our ability to hear from God. I know for me personally, social media can inhibit this aspect of my relationship with God, but also my own doubts can too. I doubt sometimes if God really hears my prayers, or if I missed something and I am left in the open to fend for myself. Thank God that He doesn’t leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). We can bank on the promise that God is constantly present with us no matter what we go through on a daily basis. We, however, have to do our part to be able to listen to Him, and to walk in what He says. In a past article, I talked about how we need to get into our secluded quiet place to focus on growing with the Lord. The secret place is so essential to our ability to hear what God has to say. When we can get away from the normal business and craziness of life, it helps us to gain better perspective and better clarity to hear from God.
Another way to help us hear from God is by surrounding ourselves with people who are like minded to help promote hearing from God. God desires us to do life with a solid community. Even Jesus Himself did life with 12 close friends. Strength is in numbers, so community plays a major role in our daily walk with Christ. When we try to be alone all the time, negativity can come strong. If we have nobody we can turn to to talk through life with, we can become an easier prey for the enemy to mess with our mind. Community is so important (Hebrews 10:25).
Quiet your heart. You don’t always have to be talking or praying to hear from God. Think about it like you are talking to a friend. You cannot really grasp the meaning of their words if you are trying to talk over them. Sometimes, it is good to just be silent and to let God speak. He can speak in many different ways, through scripture, words from others, that gut feeling in your stomach, things like that. God is not limited to how He can speak. We can, however, limit ourselves from hearing Him. Prepare your heart. Spend quality time with your Maker so that you can actually know what His voice sounds like to you. The Creator of the World has a message for you and me today. Are we listening???
Much love,
Ryan W.
