Hearing HIM

The other day, I was journalling. A devotional had inspired much thinking around hearing God's voice. And in my journal I wrote "God, how do I hear/follow the quiet whisper (of your voice) when the roar from the sidelines is so great?" Right now I am struggling with that - with trying to silence that roar from around me - to get the time to just be with God.

I love the bible verses that talk about when the LORD appears to Elijah. I Kings 19: 9 an on....there is Elijah, standing on the mountain waiting for the Lord to pass by. A wind came, or actually it sounds like an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the quake. Then a fire came, and the Lord was not in the fire. But then there came a gentle whisper...

I love how God speaks. To this day, I get goosebumps when I remember on that early early morning, when I heard God speak so audibly that my tears stopped and my eyes flew open expecting to see HIM standing right in front of me. While I have never heard him speak so loudly since, I have heard him speak often. I love that about my FATHER!! He loves to talk to us! But I am sure I am missing alot of the conversation because often, I come to him babbling, and don't always stop to listen.

I also know that when God speaks, we need to listen. I have experienced that often. And I know that obedience is always the best thing!! I also know that often we need to wait on him. I don't find that as easy to do. Waiting is never easy.

Right now, that is where I am at. I am trying to shut out the distractions from the outside - the too full schedules, all well and good, but too full. I am trying to shut out the distractions that may come from well meaning people - I have come to realize that I am not all things to all people, and don't have to even try to be - even in the capacity that I work in, in ministry. Only God is all things to all people. Sometimes I feel pulled in a million ways. I am asking God to help me work through that too. There have been times lately when I know that I just need "to be" but don't take the time. I am looking forward to Wednesday, as it is a planned SPIRITUAL RETREAT day... me and God. Looking forward to it.

Listening to God means that I have to be in His presence and in a position to listen. I need to clear junk out of my head and most of all, my heart. It also means walking with boldness - sometimes not knowing but trusting.
I realize that right now I am in a position of listening...and being bold...and waiting...and trusting: on my behalf, as well as in interceding for my family.
It is interesting, a few weeks before my grandson's birth and death, I had been sharing with someone how when you have experienced God, and his power, might and faithfulness - that it makes it easy to trust him on things, and easier to take steps of faith. That was just before Jay was born. And then man alive, did I strugggle.... with the why? with whether God was faithful or not. I struggled with the part that I said, that it was easy to trust him. I realize that loving Jesus, since I gave my heart to him at the age of 7 - never ever have I had to struggle so hard to trust with my whole heart! But, regardless, I DO. because I know He is true and faithful and that He is going to do something amazing! I am having faith and expecting miracles. Thank you Jesus in advance for what you are going to do in my life, and in the lives of my family!

Psalm 89 selected verses NIV translation:
"I will sing of the Lord's great love forever. With my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.
For who in the skies above can compare with the Lord? Who is like the Lord among the heavenly beings. O Lord God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O Lord, and your faithfulness surrounds you."