Deuteronomy 28:1-2 NKJV
Listening Series
I’ve long been fascinated with studying the “right” way to communicate requests to God. I came to that because I noticed there are people who just seem to get answers to their prayers. Since forgiveness is available to all, I first discounted people getting answers because of unforgiveness. I ask God daily for forgiveness, and doing that as a regular practice is scriptural.
During that period of time in my life I was a huge fan of Henri Nouwen and Brennan Manning. I’m was and am still a huge fan of Anne Lamott. I found their writing to be gutsy and real. I came to realize that saying exactly what you think and how you feel was important to God. I stopped trying to speak long flowing prayers (I do not have the gift of writing long prayers but if you have that gift of you certainly should not stop using your gift).
When I stopped trying to come up with exactly the right words, I started to realize that speaking wasn’t necessary at all. I found that if I sat in silence and connected to the silence of God, I could connect to the heart of God. According to scripture, God created us in His image. We are relational. We feel. God is relational. God feels.
When I sat with God and didn’t say anything, I could feel what God feels. It took time but I came to realize that I could know when God receives and answers a prayer.
If I prayed a selfish prayer or something that could eventually bring harm to another, I could feel God was unreceptive to it. Remember God is good. In Him there is no darkness.
So, answering the question, ‘Does God want our relationship to be a one way conversation?’ was an easy NO.
God desires to be in relationship with us.
God wants us to talk and God wants us to hear His thoughts, words, and feelings in return. The question is, what kind of relationship would that look like?
In order to answer that question, we can turn to Moses. Many scholars believe Moses wrote the fifth book of the Pentateuch as his farewell address. In Deuteronomy 28:1-2, he wrote,
“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God.”
This was a blessing for the children of God through the ages.
Part of the deal with the conversation with God, is knowing your heart. That includes developing a relationship with Father, Son, and Spirit. It includes loving God and surrendering your own desires. It includes accepting and receiving what God has for you. Our own desires and our fears can hinder our ability to communicate with God.
In my case I had to surrender my fear about continuing to be in ministry. I’d been a Pastor’s wife for 30 years and when I divorced I expected that to be the end of ministry. Before we divorced, my husband had walked away from ministry for good. I did not expect God to call me a second time or continue my call. I ended up being Director of a Healing Prayer Ministry. When I felt the call to go to Seminary I fought it because I was afraid. I had to surrender my fear and let go of what I thought was best.
Once I surrendered the doors ‘flew open’ quickly.
I was told by several people who had the gift of prophecy that my ministry would be “on the streets”. Literally that meant not ‘in the church’ like my previous ministry.
Through the process of surrendering to God and knowing my own heart for God, I came to a place of peace where I could hear God speak.
You also come to a place where you know God’s heart. For me, that included studying scripture but that doesn’t mean every person’s journey in knowing God will look like mine.
You can come to know the heart of God as you pray.
God may use trusted people in your circle to help you.
Or God may use your specific Spiritual Gifts to guide you to a greater understanding of Him.
Whatever tools God has given you will be utilized to draw you closer to God. Just remember that God is in charge.
Today’s Spiritual Practice is: KNOW You, KNOW God
Ask God to show you one thing that God wants for YOU, and one thing about HIM that helps you to recognize the voice of God. Write those down and if you feel led to continue the exercise, listen and make a list of what God wants for you and how you recognize the voice of God.
In God, Deborah
acrazyjourney.com
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