In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to lose sight of what truly matters. We often find ourselves caught up in the whirlwind of daily life, barely able to catch our breath, let alone listen for the still, small voice of God. But what if we’re setting ourselves up to fail when it comes to hearing from our Creator? What if our posture, our positioning, is hindering our ability to connect with the divine?
Three key obstacles often stand in our way when it comes to hearing God’s voice: doubt, pride, and busyness. While doubt can make us question our ability to hear from God at all, pride can lead us to rely solely on our own understanding. However, it’s busyness that has become Satan’s most potent weapon in our modern world.
Consider this startling statistic: iPhone users reportedly check their phones an average of 2,000 times a day. That’s 2,000 potential distractions, 2,000 moments where our attention is pulled away from the eternal and towards the temporal. It’s not just phones, though. From binge-watching TV shows to endless scrolling on social media, we’re constantly bombarded with stimuli that keep us occupied but spiritually disconnected.
The enemy’s strategy isn’t always to tempt us with outright sin. Sometimes, his most effective tactic is simply to keep us so preoccupied that we neglect our relationship with God. After all, if we’re too busy to pray, too distracted to read Scripture, and too exhausted to listen, how can we possibly hear what God is trying to tell us?
So how do we combat this? How do we posture ourselves to hear God’s voice amidst the cacophony of modern life?
First, we must recognize the spiritual battle we’re in. Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Understanding this reality helps us approach our busyness with discernment, recognizing when we’re being distracted from what truly matters.
Secondly, we need to address our pride. Proverbs 3:5-6 exhorts us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” How often do we try to solve our problems on our own before turning to God? While we may be capable of finding solutions, imagine how much easier and more fulfilling it would be to bring our concerns to God first, allowing Him to guide us.
But perhaps the most crucial step is learning to slow down. Even Jesus, who had the weight of the world’s salvation on His shoulders, made time to withdraw and pray. Mark 1:35 tells us, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” If the Son of God needed this time of solitude and communion with the Father, how much more do we?
In our culture of constant connectivity and productivity, the idea of intentionally slowing down can seem radical, even impossible. But what if it’s exactly what we need? What if taking a walk instead of driving, or setting aside time for prayer and Scripture reading before checking our emails, could revolutionize our spiritual lives?
Speaking of Scripture, its importance in helping us hear God’s voice cannot be overstated. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” The Bible serves as our touchstone, the standard against which we can test what we believe we’re hearing from God.
A powerful testimony shared in the sermon illustrates this point beautifully. A woman named Jane, struggling with the loss of her grandmother, was contemplating visiting a medium to try and communicate with her deceased loved one. However, upon opening her Bible for the first time in months, she stumbled upon Isaiah 8:19, which warns against consulting mediums and instead encourages people to inquire of God. This timely message, seemingly placed exactly where she needed it, spoke directly to her situation and steered her away from a potentially dangerous spiritual path.
This story underscores the living, active nature of God’s Word and its ability to speak into our specific circumstances when we make space to engage with it. It’s a poignant reminder of why prioritizing time in Scripture is so crucial for those seeking to hear God’s voice.
So, what practical steps can we take to better position ourselves to hear from God?
1. Evaluate our schedules: What activities are truly necessary, and what can we let go of to create more space for God?
2. Establish a daily quiet time: Even if it’s just a few minutes at first, set aside time each day for prayer and Bible reading.
3. Practice mindfulness: Be present in the moment, aware of God’s presence in the ordinary aspects of life.
4. Limit distractions: Consider implementing “technology fasts” or setting boundaries around phone and social media use.
5. Prioritize community: Surround yourself with other believers who can encourage and challenge your spiritual growth.
Remember, hearing God’s voice isn’t about adding another task to our to-do list. It’s about reorienting our lives around our relationship with Him. It’s about creating space in our hearts and minds for the Creator of the universe to speak.
In a world that constantly demands more of our time and attention, choosing to slow down and listen for God’s voice is a radical act of faith. It’s a declaration that our relationship with Him is more important than our productivity, our social media presence, or our packed schedules.
As we learn to posture ourselves to hear from God, we may find that the very things we thought we needed to hold onto – our busyness, our self-reliance, our constant connectivity – were actually holding us back from the rich, fulfilling life God has for us. In the quiet, in the stillness, we might just discover the voice we’ve been longing to hear all along.
