Expressions of Thought

God is speaking, are you listening?

Without intentionality, because of the pace and nature of our culture, it’s easy to get lost in ourselves, preoccupied with our ambition, drive and pursuits.  Often it’s in this place, that the voice of God gets drowned out because His voice is not always the loudest or the most demanding.  This doesn’t diminish the reality though that God is speaking and that He wants to speak to us.

This thought of course brings into the light an interesting dilemma.   If God is speaking, why do I feel like I have trouble hearing?  And if God is speaking, how do I recognize His voice in the midst of all the other voices fighting for my attention and affection.  While the answer to both of these questions can be a bit complex, both of them find their answer rooted in relationship.  Just as I learn to know and recognize the voice of my children through interaction in relationship, this is the same way I learn to know and recognize the voice of the God.  I develop sensitivity to His speaking through my interaction with Him through relationship.

When I engage myself in what has been written in the Bible, I am interacting with the written words of God.  God speaks through scripture.  Through scripture I learn to know the character and nature of God’s person.  I learn what He likes and dislikes.  I learn what He responds to and what hurts Him.  Through my interaction with the written Word (Jesus – John 1:1) I come to know the voice of God.  Through relationship His words find expression in what I give myself to, in how I live, and in how I interact with others.

Therefore it takes intentionality on our behalf to be aware of what it occupying our minds and hearts.  This may have a lot to do with what we are and are not hearing from God.  Do you want to hear from God for your life?  Considering slowing down and making the shift from my pursuits to His pursuits.  And then maybe the quiet still voice of the Holy Spirit will be able to be heard in our lives.  Even though His voice may not be the loudest and most demanding – it is the most persistent.  He pursues us that He might have a relationship with us.