The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
It is my firm belief that God speaks to us. If we listen closely we can hear his soft whispers. I use to tell my YL girls in the OC every time we met for CHILL ( our small group) that " EVERYDAY God is whispering something to your heart, about HOW much He loves you, about WHO He is growing you to be. Whispering something that he wants to teach you today." I know many people have looked at me when I say such things and they nod and smile and think " sure sure like whatever my devo tells me that morning." BUT thats not what I mean... your devo, God can use to speak loudly into your live if he wants, but I think MORE often throughout the day is the time that God is whispering to our hearts. I was once told by a wise person... not sure who it was.. might have be my Prof Hayward.. but the lesson has value no matter who told me.... it was this: That there are 3 voices in our heads/hearts, Ours, Gods and Satan's. And that we need to LEARN the difference btw those voices, we need to practice listening more, to become sensitive to whose voice it is.
A friend asked me the other week " how" I tell those voices apart.
I told her for one the negative, self loathing, "tear you down kind of words" are from Satan. - The Thief comes to kill and destroy- He is a lion waiting to devour you- he can appear as a angel of light lying to you, destroying you- his words leave you feeling hopeless, worthless, deep in a pit of disppare. He tells to to give up, to have self pity. He invites us to blame others, to tear down others to justify ourselves.
God's words are full of TRUTH but also GRACE. Once I heard from the lord that I was being selfish, but it was laid upon my heart in a way that made me WANT to be different, I wasn't filled with guilt, I was filled with HOPE for the truth and a new start. God's words challenge us, they never leave us feeling "comfortable" but they do leave us with PEACE and a sense of Love, grace and a desire for MORE.
And Our voice, well its a mix of good and bad, and this I would say is the hardest voice to know, b/c Satan can use it against us. As humans our natural curptted hearts are selfish, we don't want to be put out and we want to be loves and feel valued. I've seen people hear in their hearts " their voice", but want it so much to be "God's" that they make it that... does that make sense?
I think the easiest way to think of it is this.. not what is our voice but what is NOT God's voice. Does the voice in our head call us to live for more? To love more? to serve others more? Or does that voice tell us that "we are fine where we are".... If mother Tereasa never felt God telling her that , then I forsure wont be hearing that anytime soon. haha
Don't get me wrong I think alot of the times God's not telling us to "DO MORE".... but to "BE MORE"... and that comes from the work of the Holy Spirit TRANSFORMING our lives! Shaping us, growing us, challenging us to BE MORE.
I was in a group the other day and we were talking about prayer and the conclusion that many people were coming to was that prayer was more for us , then for God.... and while I believe prayer is to remind us that we NEED God, that we need to trust him. I also think prayer is a conversation. Yes this is good and all, but God didn't say "ok great you prayed, now go read your bible I already gave you all the answers, you go find them now". God is SPEAKING to us! sometimes through scripture, sometimes words, sometimes a friend... but ALWAYS through the holy spirit too, as he whispers to our hearts.
Now I'm never spoke in tongues, I've never healed anyone, nor have I have seen "divine miracles" as some of would say.... but I hear from God everyday, I know his voice, I feel his presence. I am challenged by his presence, I find Peace in his words, and I am humbled by my lack of understanding, my frustration, my demands and my wants. I find myself complaining to God, asking for easy answers, simple paths. Everyday I mess up (alot), and I want to give up... and there are voices in my head that say to do just that, that I am worthless and unvaluable... but i know who those voices belong to.... and its not God.
It makes me sad when people "don't hear God", in their lives. Is it just for some? a gift for those who are really in need? or for those that are "holy"? I think not. I've said it before on this blog and i will say it again, GOD is speaking to EACH of us! and IF only we would LEARN to listen, we would all hear him. It might not look or sound the same for each of us, it might be harder for some then others... but I think that whisper is there for each of us.
Philippians 2:1
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,
Do you see that? How can one have compassion, comfort, encouragement, tenderness fellowship WITH THE SPIRIT, if ITS NOT A REAL relationship? One can't. The ACTIVE relationship with Jesus is one where we HEAR and experiences those things from Him. This is not a "religion" this is a REAL INTERACTIVE RELATIONSHIP! HOW AMAZING IS THAT....
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