Contemporary Christianity has changed the way we relate to God. No longer do we stand at a distant revering an omniscient figure, God is celebrated as more personable. The faithful are encouraged to pursue a ‘personal relationship’ and our worship experiences are exercises in ‘listening’ for the voice of God so we can capture meaning to apply it to our lives.
Although we could do more with putting our individualized experiences with God within a framework of community, there is something real about a God who calls you friend (James 2:23).
But what happens when you’re listening to hear and you don’t hear anything at all?
Sometimes the measure of our faithfulness is how well we can hear from God. Christians will ask each other questions like, “what does God have to say about this?” or “listen now for God’s voice.” For some it’s difficult to consistently ‘hear’ God’s voice especially when everyone else is claiming profound encounters. But maybe that’s normal.
When it comes to receiving a message from God we’ve been given a considerable amount already. God has already spoken. The stories in the scriptures are full of quotes, callings, messages, for God’s followers. [The entire story of Jesus is perhaps the most profound story of God speaking into the history of humanity.] Simply put, there’s no shortage of things God’s trying to presently share with us.
The question is, “are we listening to what’s already been given?”
Have you heard from God lately? I know for me, I’m just trying to live out what God’s already said and hopefully I get some signposts along the way to confirm I’m on the right path.