How much easier would it be to understand God's plan for our life if we could speak to him on the telephone. We could ask as many questions as we need, get God to talk through every step and ring up for extra advice when the going gets tough. Unfortunately, it's not that easy.
Can you hear God calling?
One of God's specialties is getting your attention in unconventional ways. This is generally when He wants us to be aware of something that we may be, deliberately or otherwise, ignoring.
This has been my experience recently. I have been very overweight for a couple of years and have let my health slide. Friends and family have tried to talk to me but I have put aside their advice and done what I want.
Finally, God got in touch the only way he could...with a diagnosis of Diabetes. Sadly, I'm not even 30 years old. I have type 2 Diabetes, which is called the lifestyle disease.
How to listen to God
It can be difficult to know if you're listening to God. One of the most obvious ways is through prayer. But this can be fraught with difficulties. You have to figure out God's meaning from what he shows you.
Your pastor or deacon in the church can often be a great resource when trying to listen to God. They can pray for you and see if they get the answer too. They can help you decode God's message so you can understand it.
And then there's the Bible. God's message is repeated in several different ways in the Bible. And one of the awesome things about the fount of knowledge is that the passages will mean different things to you at different times.
Why should I be listening to God?
In short, God is the only one who knows what is best for us. He knows the plans he has for us and knows what He wants us to achieve with our lives. He knows the steps we need to take to achieve His plan.
When we are growing up, we listen (mostly) to our parents when they tell us to do or not do something. We trust that they know better than us and that they are just trying to keep us safe.
So why would we not listen to God, our Heavenly Father? Surely, He knows more than our parents and wants to keep us safe too. Even more than that, God loves us so fiercely that He always wants what is best for us.
Is it too late to start listening?
Not at all. As the saying goes, it's only too late if you don't start now!
Start listening for God's presence in your life. He may speak to you using a range of people, especially people you don't expect. I remember sitting on a train once, not long after I'd become a Christian. Mum and I had talked about the troubles in the world. Once my mum got off the train, her seat was taken by a man. Several stations later, before he got off the train he said to me "excuse me, read the psalms". It was just what I needed.
Also, listen to what the Bible is telling you. God didn't invent the Bible to make life confusing. He invented the Bible to be a solid map to happiness, grace, forgiveness and love.
And finally, listen in your prayers. Too often we think prayers are for us to ask God for things. Prayer is a conversation, and just like any conversation, it's two ways—one to listen and one to speak.
So, turn yourself away from the noises of the world. Sit and pray to God, and then listen as your life takes off—in His presence.
Emma is a full-time admin worker with a passion for Christ and an interest in reading, writing and music.
Emma Seabrook's previous articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/emma-seabrook.html