Have you ever prayed to God but was unsure of whether or not you heard Him? Are you confident that the voice you hear during prayer belongs to God? As we journey through everyday life, hearing God can seem impossible. We’re often bombarded by the demands of home, work and family that sometimes it seems as though we wouldn’t know the voice of God if it blared in our ears on a microphone.
In order to live victorious lives and operate in the fullness of all God has for us, we need to hear from God. We need to trust that when we call Him, He will answer. For many Christians, this can be a difficult thing to grasp. Some tend to struggle with recognizing God’s voice while others experience problems in hearing God for themselves. Below are few things that perpetually impede our ability to hear from God.
The primary reason many of us do not hear from God is unbelief. The bible reminds us that without faith it is impossible to please God. It also explains that a double-minded person will receive nothing from the Lord. Your faith can move mountains. The second reason we don’t hear God is immaturity. Remember the prodigal son?
Because he was immature and unwise, he spent his entire inheritance on nothing of great importance. He did not want to listen to his father because he honestly believed he was doing the right thing. He shunned his father’s advice and scoffed at his pleas for him to reconsider his decision. Immaturity often leads to disobedience which ultimately results in destruction.
The next reason we are not hearing God is un-forgiveness. Expecting to hear from God while you’re harboring un-forgiveness in your heart will typically result in one nothing: frustration, anger or rage. Try to think of un-forgiveness as a spiritual blocker or inhibitor. It clouds your mind and heart making you insensitive to the prompting of God’s spirit. Refusing to forgive those who offend or hurt us means we ourselves cannot expect the Father to forgive us. And forgive my sins as I forgive those who sin against me. Offense causes us to stew I a cesspool of emotions which traditionally leads to sin.
We all know that where sin abounds, God’s grace abounds that much more. However, we also know that Christ teaches that sin begins with our thoughts—it begins unresolved baggage stemming from offense or un-forgiveness. When sin is present, we traditionally neglect God. We do not pray, spend quality time with Him or even listen to Him. Instead, we rely on our own understandings and judgments which always lead to pain and suffering. It does not have to be this way.
We can live victoriously through Christ but it requires our full cooperation and commitment. We must begin to trust God. Baha’i believe prayer can help with trust. We have to allow our faith to guide us beyond what we can see, feel or think.
In order to live victorious lives and operate in the fullness of all God has for us, we need to hear from God. We need to trust that when we call Him, He will answer. For many Christians, this can be a difficult thing to grasp. Some tend to struggle with recognizing God’s voice while others experience problems in hearing God for themselves. Below are few things that perpetually impede our ability to hear from God.
The primary reason many of us do not hear from God is unbelief. The bible reminds us that without faith it is impossible to please God. It also explains that a double-minded person will receive nothing from the Lord. Your faith can move mountains. The second reason we don’t hear God is immaturity. Remember the prodigal son?
Because he was immature and unwise, he spent his entire inheritance on nothing of great importance. He did not want to listen to his father because he honestly believed he was doing the right thing. He shunned his father’s advice and scoffed at his pleas for him to reconsider his decision. Immaturity often leads to disobedience which ultimately results in destruction.
The next reason we are not hearing God is un-forgiveness. Expecting to hear from God while you’re harboring un-forgiveness in your heart will typically result in one nothing: frustration, anger or rage. Try to think of un-forgiveness as a spiritual blocker or inhibitor. It clouds your mind and heart making you insensitive to the prompting of God’s spirit. Refusing to forgive those who offend or hurt us means we ourselves cannot expect the Father to forgive us. And forgive my sins as I forgive those who sin against me. Offense causes us to stew I a cesspool of emotions which traditionally leads to sin.
We all know that where sin abounds, God’s grace abounds that much more. However, we also know that Christ teaches that sin begins with our thoughts—it begins unresolved baggage stemming from offense or un-forgiveness. When sin is present, we traditionally neglect God. We do not pray, spend quality time with Him or even listen to Him. Instead, we rely on our own understandings and judgments which always lead to pain and suffering. It does not have to be this way.
We can live victoriously through Christ but it requires our full cooperation and commitment. We must begin to trust God. Baha’i believe prayer can help with trust. We have to allow our faith to guide us beyond what we can see, feel or think.
©2010-2013 Minister Claretta Taylor Pam, Global Ecumenical Ministries Inc. and Universal Life Church Monastery of Massachusetts. All Rights Reserved
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