My life is full of noise and my assumption is that yours is as well. With the increased pace of our culture and our personal lives it is hard for us to find time to just experience silence. Think about the last time you sat in silence...
No TV
No iPod
No talking
No traffic
No screaming kids
Just QUIET...
Can you even think of the last time you experienced this? For most of us, it can even be awkward to sit in silence because we have become so conditioned for chaos. The major problem with the constant noise of life is that it becomes increasingly difficult to hear God. The major problem with not hearing God is that is impossible to have your affection for God stirred if you're not hearing Him speak to you.
This raises the question, "How do we hear God speak?"
1. Through His Scriptures
God has chosen to reveal Himself to us through His Word. The problem with much of our current popular theology is that it uses means in place of God's revelation of Himself through His Word to define who God is and how He works. We then tend to rely on our experiences, our opinions, cultural perspectives, philosophy and the rest, to determine who God is how we are to relate to Him.
God is God over Philosophy, Sociology and Psychology and all of these different disciplines must be subject to God's revelation of Himself through His Word. Scripture must be our highest authority. So we can learn about God through other means, but the minute that one of these other means contradicts what God has said in His Word, Scripture must win! This means the first place we must go to hear from God is His Word. King David said, "Blessed is the man... [whose] delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night." (Psalm 1:1a-2) We hear God speak through His Scriptures.
2. Through His Holy Spirit
As we read the Scriptures it is the Holy Spirit who imparts to us the gift of "illumination". Illumination is the theological term used to describe the work of the Holy Spirit by which He open our eyes to see what God would show us in His Word and opens our ears to hear what He would say to us through His Word. I do believe that Holy Spirit still speaks to us through dreams, prophecy, visions and our conscience, however I also believe these things are very subjective and must be checked with God's Word. There are many hyper-charismatics who think that whatever crazy thought they think or "word" they get from God should be the highest authority, but there are two things to keep in mind here.
First, we are fallen people and are sinners by nature and by choice (Eph 2:3; Rom 5:12) . While we are set free from the power and control of sin, by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, we still have a sin nature that is prone to sneak up on us (2 Cor 5:17; Rom 7:15-18). We must then be aware of this sin nature and take it into account when think God has spoken to us.
Secondly, we must remember that God does not contradict Himself. That means that when we think we have heard God speak we must check it with His Word and make sure that they are the same. If I were to think the Holy Spirit told me I should rob a bank I would be wrong because that action would contradict Scripture and God does not contradict Himself. So, while I do believe the Holy Spirit speaks to me, I'm always cautious because it's amazing how often God's voice sounds a lot like whatever I want it to, but God does speak to us through His Holy Spirit.
3. Through Other People
One of the most common ways that God speaks truth into my life is through other people in my life. I'm blessed to be surrounded by people who love me and love Jesus and He uses them regularly to speak into my life, correcting me, encouraging me, challenging me and shaping me. Again, we must always check this with Scripture, but God frequently speaks to me through the people He has placed in my life.
One of the things I have been trying to make habit in my life is to take at least one or two days a month and devote them to Scripture, silence, solitude, prayer and fasting. That means I find myself in the woods, in the park or some quiet spot with my Bible and journal trying to hear what God wants to say. I take this time to try and get quiet and hear what God wants to say to me through His Word concerning Himself, my life, my marriage, my parenting and my pastoring. Not everyone may have a schedule that is conducive to this amount of time, so what is important is that you go before God and find a way to get quiet and alone with Him.
Is there a time daily you can carve out to read your Bible, pray or maybe journal?
Is there one day a month you might be able fast lunch and spend time praying instead of eating?
Is there one day a week that is your "Sabbath" or day set apart for God?
God wants to speak to us and we can hear what He has to say, but it requires that we get away, get alone, and get quiet. Open your Bible, ask God to open your heart, mind and eyes and then simply listen!
