It is in the stillness that we can hear God the loudest.
Away from the noise, the chaos, and the distractions of daily responsibilities and endless smart phone notifications.
It is in the quiet moments that he speaks to our soul and beckons us to draw near to him.
Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10 image credit
At times, I don’t hear him. And I wonder, where are you God? Why do you hide your face from me? Why, when I’m doing all the ‘right things’ do I not hear your voice?
And then the answer comes. So simple, yet profound. I’m not listening.
Oh, I’ve done a great job at convincing myself I’m listening. I get up early in the morning for Bible study…but then get distracted by my Twitter feed. I crack open the Bible and read the verses…but forget to ask God to speak to me through them. I read my devotional book…but then think about how the words are applicable to some other person I know instead of me.
So yes, sometimes it’s hard to hear God’s voice.
But I am learning the difference between the times when I can hear him clearly and the times when he seems so silent.
A few months back, a situation that has challenged me for over a year finally came to the point of apparent resolution. It was something that weighed deeply on my heart and I was anxiously awaiting an answer as to the result. But instead of waiting patiently for his timing and trusting him to work, I focused on all the things I could do to control the situation. How do you think that worked out for me?
So I learned. The more I try to keep a tight grip of control on a situation that is completely out of my control, the less I am open to hearing from God in the situation.
In the middle of my greatest time of anxiety and worry a wise and godly friend texted me this simple verse: Be still and know that I am God.
It was in the midst of this challenging time, full of crippling anxiety, that I began to learn the power of releasing my perceived control and instead embracing the opportunity for peace that God offers to his children when we are still before him.
And there it was, in the quiet. His voice.
“I love you and everyone in this situation. I have complete control and will resolve it in my time. Rest in me.”
And so my heart is learning to rest in the only one who can truly provide peace. To be still and listen in the quiet for his voice. The situation is still not resolved, but now I am trusting God fully that he is in control and knows the outcome.
It’s his job to work. It’s my job to trust, listen, and obey.
{Sharing today with Sunday Stillness, Scripture & A Snapshot, The Sunday Community, The Weekend Brew, and Sacro Speco.}
When and where do you hear God the clearest? Do you also struggle to be still and listen for his voice? Take a moment to share in the comments. Your words could be just the encouragement a fellow Christ-follower needs today!
What a beautiful reminder, and a beautiful image. Thanks so much for linking up with Sacro Speco! 🙂 I always need to remind myself of this – thanks for this.
Stillness is something I struggle with. It seems as if I’m always on the move — work, home, children, ministry. Even when I do take the time to still my body to sit before Him, my mind is going a thousand different directions. But I also find that, at least in this seasons, when He whispers to my heart, it is the most profound. So I must take the time to be still, to lean in and to listen, otherwise, I will surely miss Him!
Sometimes the shower is the only place I consistently have the quiet needed to hear God’s voice! Now I’ve been trying to wake up before the kids, but even then there are competing ‘voices’ and distractions. It’s a continuous struggle but one that’s worth it to hear Him speaking into our hearts.
And in the stillness of everything, God is there.
Thanks for this post.
I think one of the hardest things for me when I know I’ve heard from God is waiting on his timing. It’s so, SO hard.
I want to say, “Okay, I heard. I did it. Why isn’t it done already?”