Is listening to God a foundational part of your life?
I teach listening to God more than I do hearing God. That’s because God is communicating with us continuously; the real hangup is tuning in and connecting the dots.
Jesus said, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). These aren’t just the words that came from his mouth. Jesus says words are coming from God’s mouth. Live. Regularly enough to feed on, to depend on like your daily bread.
God is inviting you to hang on his every word. To wait on him, anticipating great things as you live for what he reveals next. And then to move in step with God’s Spirit as he leads you (Galatians 5:25). But how?
Listening to God means tuning in to many channels
Scripture was, is, and always will be the ultimate standard and filter for everything else we believe God is saying to us. God will never say anything that contradicts what he’s already revealed in the Bible. But that’s not the same as saying he only speaks through the Bible. In the past two weeks alone, God has spoken to me:
- Through a tough conversation where a kernel of truth lay dormant amidst a bucket of chaff
- Through an audiobook that challenged my motives
- Through journal entries where I’ve logged God’s instructions throughout the years—and am only now connecting the dots
- Through the wisdom of my wife, Shauna
- Through the inscription that marks the inside of my wedding band
- Through the affirmation of others
- Through songs on my playlist that have reduced me to a blubbering mess, seemingly out of nowhere
- Through my own sermon this past Sunday
- Through a cover-to-cover scripture study of the word “glory.”
- Through his Holy Spirit planting words in my mind
- Through the fruit of obedience
- Through conviction of my own sin
- Through the stoking and growth of godly desires
- Through answered prayer
What if I’d only been listening for God’s voice through the Bible? Or only to the impressions laid upon my heart in prayer? I would have missed a dozen other important words coming from the mouth of God, and I would be spiritually gaunt in comparison to how rich I feel right now.
I wonder how God has been trying to communicate with you lately?
If you haven’t already, sign up for the Geek Faith Tribe newsletter. Along with this next issue, I’ll include a free eBook called “Ditching the 7 Deadly Myths That Can Keep You From Hearing God.”
Are you listening to God? How has He been speaking to you recently? I’d love to hear about it.