1 Kings 19:11-12 (NIV) "The Lord said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper."
I've always struggled to hear the 'still small voice' of God and keep expecting it to be loud and obvious - I know that isn't God's way but it would be a lot easier!
Recently, I've felt a bit out of things at church - I'm not doing as much as I used to be and I feel a bit of a failure in some areas but I think maybe God is telling me that's my time to be fed and 'listen' very carefully. I've always run about doing things when really I need to pray and listen.
I've been keeping a prayer journal for a while now and it really helps to look over it and see how many prayers that God has answered and said 'yes' to, that I can now tick off. I have started to use it to record any 'words' I hear, however small about myself or others. Its amazing how often God reinterates and repeats himself too, just so we can get the picture! In my last post I mentioned that God was pointing me towards certain Bible passages - they came up again in church today too - just to check I had heard the first time!
How do we know if we are called to do something? This is something I've never been sure of and to avoid doing nothing I've done everything in the hope that I will find something I'm naturally/spiritually gifted in. As a naturally quiet person I'm always fighting against what I would do naturally (which is hide!) and 'have a go'. Now I find there is nothing...
Someone in church spoke to me this morning, not sure if what they would say would be relevant to me, but it was. They didn't know anything about what I was worried about. They said they felt God was saying I was doing fine and 'he's really chuffed.' - that made my day.
It is wonderful to hear you talk like this. Sounds like you have a little spark back. I know it doesn't always feel like it, and I know you don't normally agree (and probably wont agree now) But you do a lot, in so many ways, probably quite subtle that you don't even realise that you are doing so much to others lives. I know Candy and I feel so happy to have you as a friend and a great Christian one at that.
ReplyDeleteIf it takes you to stop to listen and hear from God then thats great