Listen, God is Speaking
Recently while attending a leadership conference one of the presenters said the following. “Sometimes we go through some tough times and there seems to be no explanation, no answers, just pain. God is taking you somewhere.” I don’t like pain! I suppose you don’t either. Pain without any apparent purpose is even more unbearable.
Recently while attending a leadership conference one of the presenters said the following. “Sometimes we go through some tough times and there seems to be no explanation, no answers, just pain. God is taking you somewhere.” I don’t like pain! I suppose you don’t either. Pain without any apparent purpose is even more unbearable. Getting a tooth pulled can be painful but we know we will be better off without the bad tooth. Sometimes trying to discover the purpose in a circumstance can be an unhealthy obsession. Another unhealthy obsession can be trying to escape the pain or place of disappointment.
We all want to know we are going somewhere. We like progress and the apparent purpose that it brings. For me this past year has almost seemed directionless. Others were convinced God was doing something but for a couple of months I was convinced he forgot me. Even Pastors succumb to a small faith. The turning point came when I realized that it’s ok to give in. While driving in the car I received a phone call from a prospective employer saying that they were no longer considering me. I hung up the phone and asked God, “Are you mad at me?” I then immediately turned on the radio and the first words of the Christian song was, “I m not mad at you and I’m not disappointed with you”. Nothing like a word straight from God to get you out of your pity. He talks back more than we realize.
God loves to remind us that He is the one with the plan. We too often remind him that our plan is what we want. One day while doing carpentry work on broken down barn I had to stand on a huge pile of horse manure to install a board. As I looked down I found myself laughing at where my life had landed me that day. For the first time in a long time I thought I am exactly where I am supposed to be. Not sure what clicked with me that day but it doesn’t matter that I understand it all because answers don’t bring peace. God does! To pursue people, positions or power will impress some but to pursue God will impact many. I decided that I would place my effort in talking to and listening for God. I spent much less time pursuing opportunity while embracing what was right in front of me, the God of the universe. What happened after that was cool. I was helping people through their struggles with illness, anxiety, financial problems as well as spending time with others who were building into my life.
I also made an intentional effort to wait on God and listen for His Spirit to speak. In regards to wisdom from God the apostle Paul said, God has revealed these to us by the Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the things of a man except the man’s spirit within him? So too, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 2 Corinthians 2:10-11
Listen, God is speaking and He has something to say to you.
