“Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people.” – Isaiah 18:11
Has God ever spoken to you?
If so, it wasn’t a message you literally heard. You probably remember a situation that occurred, or a person who entered your life, through which you felt God telling you something. Nothing was verbalized. Interpretation was everything.
Indeed, the notion of a loud, booming voice emanating from Heaven is fallacy. Nowhere in the Bible is this portrayed. Instead, God typically spoke through people or events. Those hearing had to have open hearts and minds, to listen and understand.
Especially today, with the endless cacophony from traffic noises to beeping phones, God’s literal voice would be hard to hear. Even if ready, we might still miss it.
Waiting to hear God speaking, in a voice that never comes, is frustration personified. So don’t make yourself crazy.
Instead, avoid listening with your ears for God. Use your eyes.
Keeping an Eye(s) Out
“For God speaks again and again, though people do not recognize it.” – Job 33:14
Consider your life. Are you approaching forks in the road, where significant choices await?
Is your family facing challenges? Is your health hitting roadblocks? What’s going on in your business?
God speaks to us through life circumstances. Or people. Or opportunities that present themselves. You never know.
Pay attention, though, with your eyes open, and you will always “hear” Him. God’s guidance is rarely heavily cloaked. We have to be cognizant, which can be difficult amid life’s unending distractions and demands for attention.
Try this approach. Take five quiet minutes, every now and then, to ponder what God is telling you. Use the OPAL roadmap:
- Observe events
- Pause and ponder
- Ask God what He’s trying to tell you
- Listen
Watch, and You Shall Hear
“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways.” – Hebrews 1:1
Stepping off the Hustle and Bustle Train for even a short while can reap enormous dividends. See if your life doesn’t gain clarity.
Hearing God’s Word requires using our eyes. If this seems counterintuitive … well, it is. God’s message is highly unlikely to be audible. Rather, we might find it written on a chalkboard somewhere.
Or, perhaps in a flash of insight after a conversation. Or maybe in the resolution to a longstanding dilemma.
These are all life events. They double as God’s messengers. Even small ones, such as encountering a stranger on the street, can hold infinite wisdom. Watch for them.
Why? No booming, God-like voices are coming. Instead, He speaks in far more quiet, subtle ways.
Don’t pray for God to tell you what to do. Ask Him to open your eyes. Only then will you be able to truly listen.
(If you’re ready to embrace Christ, He’s ready for you. Visit C Suite for Christ to join in Christ-centered fellowship with other professionals. Submit a prayer request for a pressing need in your life. Follow C Suite for Christ on LinkedIn and Facebook. Questions? Contact Paul M. Neuberger at (414) 313-8338 or pneuberger@csuiteforchrist.com.)
