His Voice

‘Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left. ‘ Isaiah 30:21

As I was going about my regular daily life I started to notice the Holy Spirit talking to me. I would go to watch my usual Netflix show but hear ‘You don’t need to watch that, how about you read?’ or I would p

lay on my ipad and I’d hear, ‘spend time with me.’ I would scroll through Facebook or Instagram or watch Youtube videos on the latest movies and hear his call. At first I thought ‘did I hear that right? There’s was no harm in this particular show (or this game)!’ And it's true, there wasn’t any direct harm from those things but the amount of time that I was giving to them was harming my spiritual life with God. I was exercising the wrong muscles. After a few times I started to respond. It felt odd at first, it might have even looked funny to those around as I slowly put down my ipad or abruptly cut off a video. Using the Holy Spirit guidance I picked up a book, books that have been sitting on my shelf for a while, waiting to be read.

I started to notice and realise that slowly but surely new habits were starting to form. I wasn't desiring to watch TV shows, interviews or movies but wanting to read, pray or worship. Through reading I was discovering elements of God that I hadn’t known before and was starting to apply things I’d learnt to my daily life. I started to scroll through Facebook and Instagram less, the pull effect wasn’t so strong anymore. I started to turn to God-filled past times. Instead of putting on E4 as I cleaned my room, I switched on TBN or listened to podcasts that would encourage me. Instead of scrolling through FB first thing in the morning I would read devotionals. Instead of relaxing by watching a film, I’d go read a book. Instead of looking at my phone on the bus or train, I would just look up and see people. Thank God for those people and quietly pray blessing into their days.

After some time the Holy Spirit said to me, ‘I need you to de-clutter your life to hear my voice.’ God was pursuing my attention and time because he had something to say.

My life was cluttered with too much noise, that I doubted when I heard God's voice. The voice of the Lord is not the sound of thunder or crashing waves. As read in 1 Kings 19:11-13 ‘...“Go forth and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking 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. After the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

There are many things that can get our attention but there is great value in the stillness. God wants us to be still and know that He is God. He wants to give and wants to bless, but we need to silence every distraction to hear his direction. His voice can always be found, even in the loudest, greatest distractions that can be thrown our way.

With all new lessons come a test. It got to a point where I was doing well but then I came across another crossroad. My colleagues at work were talking about Mad Men. It was a popular show a few years back and it so happened to be on Netflix. I knew from the get-go it was a ‘No’ show for me to watch but I did anyway. I felt terrible as I watched, but did anyway. I actually didn't even like the show but watched it anyway. Despite my silly excuses I knew there were somethings that I should not watch because it does help me but hinders me. I didn’t feel comfortable with certain elements, the adultery for example, it wouldn’t sit right with me and my mind would wonder then I’d feel guilty. I put myself in a position to mess up. The Holy Spirit warned me from the get go, like the scripture in Isaiah, I turned to my right and left but there was a voice behind me, telling me the way to walk.

Proverbs 4:20-23 ‘My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them and health to all their body. Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.’

If I am choosing to fill myself with trash then trash is what you’ll get. If I choose to fill myself with hope, truth and love, then hope truth and love is what you’ll get. I am not doing myself any favours accumulating time in idle things when I could be in awe and wonder at the might works of God. Life and health are found in listening and keeping God's voice. Knowing this truth spurs on the renewal of my time, which has a knock on effect to my mind and heart. It takes practise and time to do it well. I’ve slipped up since but God is faithful to get my attention and re-direct. I feel so sick when I purposefully ignore God's voice to satisfy my own desire which never amounts to much. My agenda should not outweigh his, ever.

‘Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left. ‘ Isaiah 30:21

God is kind to not stay silent.