Redeeming the Time, Part 4

Hearing God’s Voice

Cathy and I recently returned from a vacation with our kids and grandkids. Wow! All day long we were engulfed by their clatter and their chatter, their cries and their sighs. How do parents of young children find any time to hear God speak?

Jesus made quiet time with his Father a priority. After a strenuous day of ministry that lasted into the night, very early the next morning, while it was still dark, he left the house and went to a solitary place to pray. Jesus knew what was coming. He knew that the daily racket of people’s needs could muffle the voice of His Father. So he began his day early, quietly speaking to his Father.

Much of the noise is generated by our fretful minds. . . “I’ve got to get the car in for new tires." "I haven’t done my taxes yet." "I haven’t visited Mom in over a week." "Our water heater is on its last leg." "I’ve got to get a doctor to look at my aching shoulder." "My lawn needs mowing." "I need to get to the gym." "I haven’t started my Book Club book." "The bathroom faucet is leaking." "I’ve got to do something about those ancient curtains in the living room.” As John Ortberg has written: “Hurry is not just a disordered schedule. Hurry is a disordered heart.”

We will never hear God speak until we make time to come into his presence and allow Him to calm and order our own anxious hearts: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything . . . let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4)

How can we find time to be alone with God? As a senior citizen, it isn’t difficult for me to find quiet time in my daily schedule. But if you struggle to find time for God, look carefully at your habit patterns. Could you get up 15 minutes earlier? Could you put off checking your e-mail until you have had some time to read your Bible? Could you use your break time at work for a few minutes of prayer? Could you find one time each week to have a more in-depth time with God? If you want to hear God’s voice you MUST reduce the noise. If the decibels are not turned down, trying to hear God’s voice is like trying to converse with a friend at a very loud rock concert.

Learning to discern God’s voice takes time and diligence. A five minute daily devotional may be the place to start, but you shouldn't end there. How well would you know your mate’s desires if you only spent five minutes a day communicating?! As with a marriage, so it is with God—there must be extended times of quiet interaction to be able to hear His voice. Would you plan to take some extra time this week to be alone with your Father? He is waiting to talk with you.