Years ago, while in Bible college I had an interesting encounter with a stranger that forever changed my outlook on prayer. After a few moments of chatting, he looked at me and said, “God is always speaking to you. You are just not always listening.”

Recently I went to a college football game and my team happened to be the visiting team. Not only did my team have a hard time calling plays due to the noise, but surrounded by 102,000 screaming fans it was hard to hear anything my friend tried to say to me. Between the announcers, the music, the chanting, the booing and the cheering; it was a challenge to have any type of clear communication.

Many people today pray. But far too often it is a one sided conversation. We make our needs known to God, ask him for help and answers, and then carry out our everyday plans. Then the busyness of life happens and the noise is deafening. We never took the time to be quiet and listen. There is a passage in scripture where Elijah goes up to the mountain to hear from God and there is a terrible wind, then an earthquake and then a fire. But God wasn’t speaking through those; instead it says God spoke in a “still, small voice.” We expect God to thunder down His commands to us yet He wants us to “be still and wait” on Him. (Psalm 37:7).

Psalm 37:7

New International Version (NIV)

7 Be still before the Lord
    and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
    when they carry out their wicked schemes.

There is a book called “Too Busy Not to Pray.” The statement is so true, but I want to carry it even further. We are too busy not to be quiet before the Lord. There is too many things He desires to show us and speak to us. There are scriptures that He wants to give us insight and revelation on. There are people he wants us to pray for or minister to. Revelation 3:20 says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” The Lord wants us to hear Him today. He wants to speak to you today. God is always speaking; we are just not always listening. So maybe it is time to just be “quiet.”

 

Questions to ask yourself…

  1. Do you ever feel like your life is just too loud? If so, what are some areas that you can slow down and just listen?
  2. What kind of importance or priority do you place on your time with God? 
  3. How will placing a higher priority on spending quality time with the Lord improve your ability to hear Him?

COMPOSED BY: Pastor Jason Gurley