What you hear from God is determined in part by the attitude you carry into any conversation with Him. Our mind-set toward a conversation with God is affected by these things:
Our Prior Relationship With God — Each of us has a history with God that began even before birth (Jeremiah 1:5). He ordained us to be on earth, and He has a plan and purpose for us, even though we may not have recognized them. However, until a person has received Jesus Christ as his personal Savior by faith, he will not be able to hear God speak on any subject other than salvation. If you’re having trouble hearing from God, you may need to re-evaluate your relationship with Him. He’s not motivated to speak to any of us on the basis of our good deeds or our needs. He’s motivated to speak to us because He has a relationship with us.
Our Understanding About God — What we hear is affected by our understanding of who God is. For example, do you view God as a loving or demanding Father? An intimate or distant friend? A patient or intolerant teacher? A gentle or angry guide? A generous or reluctant provider? Do you see Him as understanding or insensitive? If you struggle in perceiving God as loving, patient, gentle, generous, or understanding, it will color what and how you hear from Him.
Our Attitude Toward God — As we approach God, we must be submissive to Him and His will for our lives (James 4:7). We must trust that He will only do that which is best and right for us. And we must come before Him with a thankful heart for all He has done and will continue to do for each of us.
Being in right relationship with the Father, understanding who He is, and approaching Him in humility and reverence places us in the right position to not only actively hear what He has to say to us, but also to apply His truth to our lives.
And that’s the memo.
By Charles Stanley from Listening to God
