Hearing God, Part III

Hearing God takes time. Focus. Dedication. My personal experience is I can't hear God on the run (typically) and I can't hear God out of angst or anxiety.

My mind and emotions speak to me every time in those situations.

Yet, there have been times when I was in turmoil and as I went to prayer, asking God for peace and truth, I heard Him speak. I had to settle down, focus (that word again) and looking for the peace in my inner man. (Ephesians 3)

There a countless times I thought God spoke to me and I acted, not knowing if I "really" heard or not. You know, give that person a $20.

Once, I felt God asking me to stay home from work and hang out with Him all day. What? I can't call in sick - that'd be lying - and I couldn't take a vacation day. Or could I? To this day I think I missed an opportunity with Him.

Off and on, I've heard God speak to me most of my life. When I was in college, He spoke to me a lot. I'd wake up praying! But that was a different kind of speaking.

Many times, I've made decisions based on "it seems good to me." I trust the Spirit of God dwelling in me, leading me. Jeremiah 40: 4, Psalm 111, Proverbs 3.

I've prayed over decisions but had a sinful motive as I moved forward. Those never work out so good. Go figure.

But if I ask with a sincere, humble heart, He always responds with wisdom and goodness.

After my first date with Tony, I came home and felt God whisper to me, "that's your husband."

What? Fingers in ears, humming. No way. I'm not going to be the kooky girl who hears the cute single pastor is her husband.

Now, that did take a lot of prayer and confirmation. Since I'm married to him after a loooong ordeal, I think I heard God. ;)

God's spoken to me in dreams recently. While I seek understanding and interpretation, I see Him directing me.

My friend Chelle, a single mom living on a sub par income, believed God spoke to her to believe for a new car. It took a year of believing and praying, but God gave her brand new Toyota Camry.

Tony felt God nudge him to give his Bible away to this zealous new believer. The odd thing was the guy had a Bible. But Tony was obedient. Two nights later the young man called, ecstatic. He'd been reading Tony's Bible and the Word opened up to him and he felt Jesus was right there with him.

I was praying about a writing project once and felt God speak to me from "my spirit." My middle. Not my head. What he said did NOT line up with what I perceived and believed in my head. But I liked His exhortation! I received it and gave the promise back to Him. Less than a week later, it came about.

Last spring, I was mediating on the Lord as I was driving home from some place and felt the Lord said, "I promise you fruit." Okay!

About a month later, a woman at church was praying for me. She said, "Rachel, I see a big basket of fruit."

I laughed. Yep!

Tony was teaching high school when the Lord told him he was going to be on staff at Church On The Rock. He was a very young Christian, but believed God. He had no idea how he'd be on staff. There were no jobs open and no one asked him to join the team. Nevertheless, he quit his job in faith, and volunteered his summer to the youth.

In mid August they offered him the new position as youth pastor.

One Christmas I asked God for a thousand dollars to cover our Christmas spending. I was working a well paying corp job, but we'd had a lot of expenses that year and I didn't want to cut back on my Christmas giving. (We give to everyone in the family.)

Christmas came and went without my thousand. Money is not an area where we see a lot of obvious miracles, but I decided to keep believing God for the money.

On New Years, former youth, now married and good friends, were in town and came over to visit. They handed us an envelop. After awhile, I got up to get something from the kitchen and opened the card.

There was a check for a thousand dollars! Wow!!! I read closer. Made out to the youth ministry.

Oh well, close. I was grateful. I handed Tony the card, thanking our friends for the contribution.

Tony said, "You didn't look close enough."

Under the check to the church was a check to Tony and me for a thousand dollars. I was beyond thrilled.

When we shared our stories, we discovered they decided to gift us with the money the SAME NIGHT I prayed and asked the Lord.

Walking with God is such a great adventure. He wants to give to us and bless us, but we need to draw near with a sincere heart.

Come on, share you testimonies!