Ever since I was little, I had always pictured God as this big man sitting on a throne up in heaven with a really long, white beard. I had pictured him sitting there every single day and simply watching over all that He had created. I had this image in my head for the longest time. It wasn’t until I grew up that I began to realize that God was so much more. As I went to countless youth groups, retreats, and church services, I was taught that God spoke to us. Every single day. Now this really blew me away. The fact that the God of the universe could SPEAK to ME was baffling. However, I believed it with all of my heart.
There was only one problem. I went days, weeks, and sometimes even months without ever “hearing” God. I would get on my knees, fold my hands the proper way, and begin my prayer. I would get all of the way through my prayer and still, nothing. What? Am I doing this whole thing wrong? Is God angry with me? Or worse, is He ignoring me? These were just some of the many questions I asked myself when I didn’t “hear” God speak to me. I blamed everything I could. I placed blame on the way I prayed. I even blamed God. I cannot tell you how many nights I cried myself to sleep because I felt like God had abandoned me. It was by far the most lonely period in my life. I truly believe, however, God was with me that whole time
I failed to realize that the problem could be with me. I was not “tuned” into God and his beautiful whispers. Think about a radio. When you want to listen to country music, you wouldn’t tune your radio to a pop station, now would you? Its the same way with God. If we are not constantly searching for God and tuning into what He has to say and his will for our lives, how can we expect to hear anything He has to say?
Also, if we are not diving head first into God’s Word every single day, how can we expect to hear what He has to say? Are you getting this? If scripture is God breathed and is the WORD of GOD, if we ever want to hear from God, we must read the words that came from Him and Him alone. This seems like a very simple thing to comprehend but it is actually something many people struggle with, including myself. Maybe you think you are “too busy” to spend a good chunk of your time in God’s word. Let me ask you this though. What is more important? Spending time with the God who knit you together in your mother’s womb, who breaths life into you every second you inhale, who knows every single hair atop your head, who can move mountains when He speaks or putting more of your time into worldly things that are temporary and which are a blessing from your Heavenly Father himself? Is it more important to appreciate the gift more or the giver? The answer is simple and clear. The giver will always deserve all of the praise. The ultimate giver gave the ultimate sacrifice. We owe him everything, including all of our attention and time.
We will not hear God in a loud, booming voice coming down from heaven, telling us exactly what to do and when to do it. We will hear him in the beautiful whispers. The gentle tug on our heartstrings means that God is orchestrating a grand plan for our lives and He is trying to pull us more towards that plan for our lives. He ultimately knows whats best. We can place all of our trust in those beautiful whispers because we know God loves us far more than we can comprehend. We know that He will never leave us nor forsake us. So, next time you are feeling like God has abandoned you, next time you are at your lowest point, next time you are feeling all alone, know that you have a Savior, you have a Shepherd, you have a Father who will NEVER leave you. Rest in that amazing truth.
“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.”
1 Kings 19:11-12
We must stand firm in the faith, even when we may not know what lies ahead. For we may not know our future, but we can rest in knowing who holds it. We must come boldly into the presence of our Lord and Savior. The Lord will show up in amazing ways in each and every single one of your lives. It may not be in the ways you had hoped for. It may not be very clear to us. But if we listen for the whisper, we will never be disappointed. Keep the faith, and keep running the race that has been set before us.
Lifeline 