HEARING GOD

Job 34:1-36:33; 2 Corinthians 4:1-12; Psalm 44:1-8; Proverbs 22:10-12

“But it is wrong to say God doesn’t listen, to say the Almighty isn’t concerned. You say you can’t see him, but he will bring justice if you will only wait.”

“We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.”

“I do not trust in my bow; I do not count on my sword to save me. You are the one who gives us victory over our enemies; you disgrace those who hate us. O God, we give glory to you all day long and constantly praise your name.”

“The Lord preserves those with knowledge, but he ruins the plans of the treacherous.”

It’s worth reminding ourselves that just because we aren’t sure if God is answering us or not does not mean He isn’t talking. Just because we don’t feel or hear any response doesn’t mean He’s not listening. Just because we are unsure of ourselves and of Him does not mean God isn’t in control. Yet, we are quick to doubt, aren’t we? Given a choice between belief and uncertainty, most of us default to skepticism. I wonder why. Where is the authority for the thought that the Lord no longer speaks to His people? Whose word do we trust on the matter? Scripture is pretty clear that the Father does not speak to everybody. Those with hardened hearts, for example, cannot hear God. They almost certainly outnumber those who diligently cry out and listen for the Spirit’s guidance and comfort, several times over. Why would we ever allow the hardhearted’s experience – or lack of it – to dictate reality to us, when we know they are not able to hear God?

Then, there are the true seekers who are just not used to the idea that Christ still inspires, even today. They know not what they seek, so they have no idea when they hear or find it. They may even battle a sense of guilt or unworthiness that blocks spiritual input or prevents them from accepting it. In any event, those who have not practiced the presence of Christ for some time can hardly be trusted as witnesses to the absence of inspiration from his Spirit.

And, of course, on the other hand, there are the super religious who claim to hear the voice of God in every breeze and see His hands in every circumstance. Perhaps they are correct. But I doubt it. Scriptures refer pretty much as often to complaints about unanswered prayers and the lack of divine guidance as they do to praises for God’s responses to prayer.

The fact is the Lord sometimes lets us struggle on our own. Not every petition gets an answer. Jesus does not owe us a response. Once in a while, He lovingly leaves us to our own devices and graciously hides His presence from us to force us to get serious about exactly what we do believe, and the type and kind of inspiration we will accept. The Father’s silence is a time for growth. It teaches patience, selflessness and perseverance. It increases creativity for those bold enough to attempt it. Mainly, though, it forces us to be honest with ourselves. We accept and follow Christ for Who and What He is, even if we don’t understand or speak the same language, or we do not follow and accept Him at all. Regardless of whether or not He speaks, we must recognize Him as sovereign and accept His decision to inspire or not as His right. When we insist instead that God comes to us on our terms if he is going to come at all, we displace our heavenly Father as the ultimate authority in our lives.

We’re never going to know if God speaks and inspires as long as we require Him to speak in our terms and from our perspective. We’re never going to realize His plan for our lives if we’re more concerned about trying to dictate it to Him in advance. Whatever else it may be – and God speaks to each of us in our own way – hearing God first and foremost requires that we let God be God. As long as we are in His way, insisting on hearing only what we want to hear, we ought to expect to be disappointed. If we’re going to get on His wavelength, we first have to allow Him the freedom to speak His heart and mind to our souls, and we have to accept and act on His judgments and directions, rather than our own.