Hearing From God (Not Just My Weight Loss Counselor)

(This post is not about weight loss or counseling, but due to a request from a dear blog friend. She writes about life from the other side of the world and keeps her identity hidden. But you can check out her blog:               https://susieshy45.wordpress.com

Lord, my friend asks, “How do you hear from God?” What do I tell her?

Tell  her to listen for My quiet voice of love spoken deep within her heart. Listen for My words calling her name. Tell her to answer, “Lord, here I am,” and I will speak to her heart. I am calling her now. Tell her I never yell or scream. Tell her to listen for the still quiet voice. Tell her that I love her more than she’ll ever know.

God never yells or screams, He whispers His love to your heart. He never insists on His way or forces you to obey. He offers you a choice. You get to choose, whether to listen or not.

If you tell Him to leave, He will. It’ll break His heart, but He will withdraw His Presence from you. He does not force Himself on anyone, but He will whisper words of love to your heart trying to get you to understand the greatest of His love for you. When you reject His love, He grieves over you. When you embrace His love, He is ecstatic with joy.

Elijah ( 1 Kings 19) didn’t hear God in the strong wind, the earthquake, or the fire. He heard God in a small still voice speaking to his heart. It’ll be the same with you. He’ll speak softly to your heart.

One way to determine if the voice speaking to you is God or not is to ask yourself, “Is this voice loud and forceful? Is this voice full of condemnation and unworthiness?”  That’s not God. Is the voice screaming at you, “Do it now”? That’s usually not God. He is patient and willing to wait on you.

Usually God’s voice is easier to hear in quietness when all of life’s business is silent. I seek His Presence early in the morning when the rest of the house is asleep and there’s no clutter of excess noise. But God has spoken to my heart in a crowd of people with excessive noise. So He’s not limited by space, time, crowds, or noise. He is limited by your ear. He will speak to a seeking, listening ear. Sometimes it’s a gentle leading to go forth, or it’s a check in your heart to stop.

First and foremost is God’s Word already written. A lot of people consider it an outdated ancient book, but it’s a living, breathing Word of God. He will speak to your heart through His written Word. The Bible is a written love letter to mankind from the beginning to the end.

The stories written therein are to show us how God interacts with those He loves and to give us an example of “all have sinned and fallen short”, but yet still loved by God. As we read these stories, we can have hope for ourselves.

These stories are to show us how God continuously reaches out in love to a rebellious people. Then God provides the answer to our selfish, wayward ways through His Son on that cross.

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For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.    John 3:16 NKJV

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When you reject His gift of love, it’s like a child on Christmas morning saying, “I don’t want your presents.” Wouldn’t it break your heart if your child rejected your gifts, the ones you sacrificed, paid a great price for, and selected just for them? Think about how you’d feel. God feels the same way when you say, “I don’t want Your gift of love, I can do it myself.”

When God usually speaks to me, it is through my pen. For years, I’ve written my prayers and thoughts to God. It helps my focus. His answers just come to my heart and the pen flows. I have a closet full of notebooks all filled with prayers and thoughts written both to God and from God speaking words to my heart. I also have individual notebooks of prayers for each member of my family. They’re not written in daily, just as needed. I’m not rich, but what a heritage of prayers I can leave for others to know they were prayed for.

Some people claim to have visions and dreams. I’ve also had some dreams, always pertaining to my personal life. When I awake, I ask God, “What does this mean?” The answer always comes during my time with the Lord.

Many years ago, I had an awake vision while I was standing in church singing in the audience. I was so burdened and crying for my youngest, wayward son. In this vision, as he walked in the church, I could hear people whispering to one another, “That’s her son.” Then I saw him crying at the altar with men praying all around him. Afterwards, he hugged me. That vision happened many years ago, and no more since. I haven’t physically seen that event yet, but I do expect it. I will see it. You see, God has made me a promise and He is not a man that He should lie or change His mind.

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God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Numbers 23 :19 NKJV

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I believe God allowed me to see that vision so I’d never give up. As a tired old Mother, I’ve told Jesus, “You’re the great intercessor. You pray for him, I’m tired.” God knew I’d get tired, but He wanted me to never give up. I’ve never stopped believing that one day my vision will come true and I will see it take place. My children and grandchildren are marked and covered by my prayers for them.

Every person is different and God speaks to each one based on their individualism.

My child, tell them I love them.

Yes, His heart is full of love for you.

Tell them if they seek, they will find. If they knock, I will answer. If they listen, I will speak.

Yes Sir.

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Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7: 7-8 NKJV

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I asked several others about how they heard God. Here are their answers:

1. I hear God through His Word and through the Holy Spirit which brings thoughts to my heart and mind. I also hear God through the words of Godly men and women. (She’s a Bible teacher.)
2. I hear God tug on my heart. It is hard to explain to someone who doesn’t experience God’s fellowship, but it’s like a thought will come to my mind all of a sudden that’s so far from my own thinking or wanting to do.  I often hear Him speaking to me through fellowship with other believers and sometimes more so than through the lost. (She’s a mother of three boys and a talented, gifted cake decorator.)
3. I hear God speak to me through song lyrics, or sometimes just one simple word. He speaks through His Word, pastors, and often through a child in Sunday School. (She’s a singer and a children’s Sunday School teacher.)
4. It’s that small still voice that comes from deep within you. That’s the Holy Spirit.  There’s no mistaking that it is not your own voice. (She a choir member.)
5. It’s a still small voice and also a feeling of peace. (Christian in Minnesota)
6. Sometimes when the house is full of children and I’m stressed. God tells me to calm down and that everything will be okay. (Single foster Mom, age 64. Has had six kids at one time.)
7. I hear God whisper in my right ear. It’s usually when I’m praying for something specific. But for some reason, I always seem to hear it in my right ear. The first time it happened my son (He’s married with kids now.) was late for supper. I started praying for him and God whispered in my right ear, “He’s been in a wreck, but He’s okay.” We didn’t get the phone call to confirm this until 20 or 30 minutes later. (This is my sister-in-law. Bible teacher, choir member)
8. Usually it’s when I’m going somewhere and God speaks to me in my heart and says, “That’s not for you.” So I don’t go. Once I didn’t have any money for lunch. God spoke to my heart, “Look in your purse again.” I looked and there was ten dollars. (Choir member.)