Learning to hear His voice...
"And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper” 1 Kings 19:11-12
This is what I had the amazing pleasure and blessing of teaching 9-10 year olds on Saturday at kid’s club! Oh my goodness! How good my Jesus is to me!
He gave me this chapter to not only study and teach, but also because He needed to remind me to listen to His voice.
Before we go to kid’s club, we have a time of prayer and worship as a team. This is essential, and here’s why, it takes the focus on myself and onto Christ. During this time, I honestly started balling.. why?
Because I felt like such a failure.
I stretched out a housemate’s shirt, didn’t get to make dinner on the night I was supposed to (there were legitimate reasons, but still!!!!), and failed to get coloring sheets for kid’s club because I misunderstood how to get them delivered. These are all little things, but piled on a short time frame, the stress of kid’s club, and wanted to to do right to God and my team it broke me. I was like, God why?! I’m twenty-two years old. Why can I not do it? Why isn’t this easy to me? Why can I not be an example of what to do, instead of constantly being told what I am doing wrong?
That’s where my problem was. I was depending on me. I was focusing on me. It was a pride issue. I was not focused on God. I was not listening to God. I expected that if God wanted to speak, He’d make it obvious, so I continued to loudly go on my way doing things in my strength and missed His voice.
I missed His voice.
I didn’t even hear it.
Why? Because, I wasn’t being in tune with Him. I was being dependent on myself.
God can speak in loud ways, use wind, fire, and earthquakes to speak to me. He’s done it before, and can do it again.. But, that’s not often how He speaks to me. He often speaks to me in a still, small voice. It’s an intimate calling, to come away with Him. To lay everything down at His feet. To surrender all that I am to Him.
I have nothing to offer these kids and people here, if it is not Him. I cannot offer Him if I stand in the way.
It has to be His words, it has to be His love, and it has to be Him guiding me. What else can I offer? I must be tuned to His voice, and guided by Him.
Application:
Take time tonight to spend time with Jesus, to listen to His voice and surrender mine to Him.
