Give ear and hear my voice; listen and hear my words. (Isaiah 28:23, NASB)
At some point during the pursuit of golf improvement, we hire an instructor to watch our “action” and determine what needs to change in our swing. The best instructors don’t need to watch a swing more than three or four times to determine what needs to be adjusted.
Our job as students is to trust our instructor and listen to what is being said. Believe it or not, some students think they know more than the instructor, which typically results in a short-term relationship between instructor and student.
How do we know what to do if we think God has spoken to us? After all, Isaiah was a prophet, and we are mere mortals. With all the distractions in life, it is no wonder that we find ourselves unfulfilled, busy, stressed, and out of step with the purpose God had intended for our lives.
Are you listening to God? How do we accurately hear from God? Fear not, God has provided means to answer all of this, and you don’t have to be a prophet, just a good student who does the work he instructs you to do.
Over 20 years ago, my wife and I attended “Experiencing God,” a 13-week study authored by Henry Blackaby, Founder of Blackaby Ministries. That study has helped me hear from God when I am willing to engage in the process.
I learned that I need to pray with the expectation of hearing from him. As part of the praying process, read the Bible and ask him to give you a word that relates to a specific situation that needs his guidance. Finally, you should seek counsel from other trusted believers praying for you.
Jesus’ prayer life provides the best example as he fulfilled his mission here on earth. He prayed alone and sought his Father’s wisdom and advice. He prayed for others in difficult situations and for those who needed healing. The power of prayer cannot be underestimated.
You may say, “That all sounds great, but how do we know when God has spoken? The Holy Spirit will confirm God’s intention through prayers, circumstances, and Scripture reading.
If we listen in the Spirit, there will be peace and confirmation. Our next step is to trust in faith, move in the direction God is calling us, and seek wisdom from the right places.
Allow yourself to listen, and you will find wisdom from above as James describes: The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.”
Prayer: Father, we want to hear your voice in whatever we do. Please help us find ears to hear and faith to act as we seek your wisdom in every circumstance.