Hearing God in New Ways

I have not forgotten an early lesson that imprinted my spiritual life. During the Jesus Movement, I was attending a house-church-type meeting. A man from another state was ministering to us young leaders. He was a bit older than I was, and he was also more experienced in ministry. I was just sitting on the couch in the living room minding my own business when this man looked straight at me. He said, "Well, you feel like everything's all dried up, don't you?"

Now, at that time, I was not used to being around gifted people who had discernment, people who were capable of prophetically "reading my mail." He continued, "You feel like you're not hearing God's voice right now. Is that right?"

His readout on me was sadly accurate. I had gotten used to hearing God somewhat clearly in one specific way. But often I didn't know what He was saying. The visitor continued, "It's not that God has quit speaking. It's that He has just switched channels on His dial. It's like God uses a radio when He speaks to us. God has not quit speaking to you. He has just turned the knob over to a different channel that you are not used to hearing Him on." This man was using parabolic language; I could understand a radio changing channels. Instead of feeling condemned or exposed, I felt enlightened and encouraged. I was hearing God! It's just that there are many different ways the voice of God is transmitted to us. I left the room thinking, I can't  wait to discover the other ways by which my Papa God wants to speak to me!


Our Father's voice comes to us in such a great variety of ways that we need such moments of enlightenment. Otherwise, we tend to get locked into set patterns. It's so good of God to temporarily shut down one channel in order to open another. He hasn't quit speaking; He is opening our hearts and minds to hear His voice in new ways. He does this so that we will continue to grow progressively in our relationship with Him. He doesn't want us to become locked in to the same patterns of hearing Him. God's goal is a real, live relationship with us. 

For more check out my book, The Beginners Guide to Hearing God
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