As the holidays are upon us so is a lot of business and chaos. Read on to find out what can make this season and the rest of the year easier for us, especially as we live Unseen.

Do You Hear What I Hear?

My sheep hear my voice and the voice of another they will not quickly follow. John 10:4-5

One spring we were at a women’s retreat near Hamilton, Texas and our meeting place was off the beaten path.  After unpacking, I looked outside and saw a strange sight. 3 or 4 women were walking around seemingly aimlessly, holding their cellphones to their ears. One of my friends was walking in a circle around a stick standing up in the dirt. I asked her what she was doing and she said that was the only place she had found at camp where she could get cell phone signal.

Even without technological issues, it can be hard to hear what you need to in the physical world. There are distractions and noises that drown out what we need to hear and compete for our attention. My husband has a condition where every noise he hears comes in at the same volume and intensity. The TV, radio, air conditioner, refrigerator hum, dog snuffling and cars outside are the same level as me trying to talk to him. This makes him stressed out and irritable and crowds are almost more than he can take. If he goes to the store he likes to go in the middle of the night. My child has a similar issue and swears that he can hear crawfish tapping on the glass in the classroom aquariums.

It can be just as hard or harder to hear what we need to in our spiritual life. We know the truth but may need to be reminded of it. Fortunately this is what Jesus said the Holy Spirit will do for us. (John 16:13 ) We may feel like we need a stick in the spiritual mud to communicate with God , trying to say the right words or use the right ritual. Jesus addressed this when he talked about the Pharisee and the publican.  In Luke 18. The publican, with his humility was heard by God even without the religious trappings. It may be hard to hear God with the distractions of the world and inside our own minds, but it can be done.

Hearing God happens in different ways. It may be a still small voice like it was for Elijah. (1 Kings 19:12    ) It may be hearing something in the sermon or Bible class that speaks to you. It may be something you hear from another believer. This morning I found a quiet place and wrote down all the scriptures that came to mind. Today most of them were about standing firm, being still and trusting.  One of the most important things that helps us to hear God is to spend time with him so we know his voice. John 10:4-5 says, My sheep hear my voice and the voice of another they will not quickly follow. Jeremiah 29:13 says you will seek me and will find me when you search with all your heart.

Ask God to open your ears to hear his voice. Then help someone else tune in also.