do you pray for direction...and then hear nothing? do you wonder if God even heard your prayers? if so...you are not alone...often i come before God...pouring out my heart in prayer...seeking His will for different areas in my life...then i hear nothing...He is silent...not wanting to wait...i forge ahead on my own...in my busyness...i fail to sit and wait...no time...i say...because someone is waiting for an answer...no time...i say...because i need to act now...
yet...when i read the scriptures...God consistently teaches: sit, pray, and wait...oh so hard to do sometimes...well...at least for me... =) yet when i look to the life of Jesus for direction...i see a clear sense of this...sit, pray, and wait...Jesus began His ministry by fasting forty days alone in the wilderness...He spent an entire night alone in prayer before choosing His twelve disciples...
and there are others...
esther fasted and prayed for three days before she took the bold and courageous step of going before the king on behalf of her people...knowing it could mean her death...
elijah went into the wilderness for forty days to hear the "still small voice..."
i'm seeing a pattern here...no?
what do these great people of faith teach us? to know God's leading...to hear His voice...we must listen and wait...maybe we think God is silent because we never take the time to sit in God's Word and wait...when we do...He promises it will penetrate us to the marrow of our bones...to the deepest places in our heart...in hebrews...it says His word is living and active and "sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow..."
when we choose to get alone with God...He promises to meet us there...one of my favorite verses...jeremiah 29:13-14 says..."you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart...I will be found by you.." i have really been challenged lately to meet Him in His word...
do you want direction? these are the steps i am taking...
- read God's word: 2 timothy 3:16-17 says, "all scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the [woman] of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work..." there is something about knowing that God was actively involved in the writing of scripture...what better way to speak truth into your life?
- study God's word: 2 timothy 2:15 says, "do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth..." when you study His word...He plants it deep within your heart...bends your heart...enabling you to hear His voice.
- pray God's word: isaiah 55:11 says, "...so is My word that goes out from My mouth: it will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purposes for which I sent it..." prayer is God's living word spoken out of your mouth...when you pray in faith...you hold God's word up to Him in prayer... you put Him in remembrance of His word...and His promise is that word will not return void...and most importantly...it shall accomplish that which He purposes and pleases...
so what happens when we apply God's word to the circumstances in our lives? we can rest assured that when we do...God promises to do abundantly more than we could ever ask or imagine...i for one...want that more then anything...how about you?
what i know is that i need direction in my life today...and right now...God seems distant and silent...yet i know that He is not because He promises to never leave me or forsake me...today...i commit to search the word...and in that...i know that my eyes will be open that i may see the wonderful things in His word...
Lord...give me eyes to see and ears to hear Your direction in my circumstances...thank you...Lord...that in my seeking...You will meet me...and as i trust in You completely...You will lead me down Your paths...
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