Do you remember the last time you heard from God? I do. Though not an audible voice, He spoke to me very clearly about a vision and a ministry He had for me. He used pieces of His creation, including a manatee and birds, on my day at the beach.

Decades before, He gave me a specific passage of Scripture in Hosea to lead me out of a job and into ministry. Other times it was a message through a fellow believer. So, when people ask me how I hear from God, I admit there are distractions; however, I tell them I listen in the quiet of my prayer room while I read, or get outside and listen for instruction as I walk, or open my ears for a prophetic word from a pastor or friend. I declare what I’ve heard back to the Lord in prayer. Then I journal what I’ve heard.

Habakkuk 2:2 exhorts us to “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets.” When the Lord speaks to us, what if we take it beyond hearing and write it down, and declare that vision to others? It will take discipline, but perhaps in taking those two additional steps, the lessons will become clearer and we will be more obedient. Supernaturally, the volume of God’s words might get louder, and we will see His plans come to fruition. As we look back months or years later and read what we wrote, perhaps we will hear Him answer, “See? Glad you listened and trusted in me.”

Lord, I truly want to get quiet and listen to you daily. Help me to incline my ears to you and follow your best plans for my life. Remind me that you always have my best interests at heart. Amen.

Go Deeper — When you are feeling spiritually barren and feel as if God is not speaking, ask Him to speak to you through His word, through His creation, or through a fellow believer. Declare back to Him what you’ve heard and write it down in your journal. Praise Him for telling you.



Tags: Listen Proverbs 4
Photo Credit: Johannes Plenio