3 Ways to Create Space to Hear from God
Hearing the voice of God isn’t about getting it right or wrong - it’s about intimacy.
The ironic part of Spirit & Truth is that we don’t actually teach anything new. No programs, no fancy gimmicks, just the age-old tradition of the Church. So, why is the ministry growing faster than it ever has before? Well, I would suggest that it's largely in part to the fact the church has gotten away from some of those age-old traditions that propelled the movement in the beginning, and people are craving those traditions!
At the top of that list, is learning to be Spirit-led.
Spirit-led means listening for the Holy Spirit, and obeying His directions, so that you may live out the will of God on Earth. I know, sometimes that sounds so daunting, but as a friend of mine recently reminded me: You are hard-wired to hear from God.
John 16:13 reminds us, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”
In other words, the Holy Spirit WANTS to communicate with you! And yet, for many of us, that feels like something super-spiritual that is unattainable.
I want to challenge you today to create space for God to speak, and then have the courage to listen! Here are three techniques that I use when I want to get better at hearing from God.
1. Get up earlier. I know, nobody wants to listen to this one, but one thing that has become clear is that the quiet nature of the morning gives space for the Spirit to speak. Jesus spent a lot of his time connecting with the Father in the morning, and we would be wise to do the same. It doesn’t have to be hours, try setting an alarm for 15 minutes and dedicate that time to the Lord. Sit quietly, and ask the Lord to speak. I even recommend leaving your phone in another room. Less distraction equals more space for the Spirit.
2. Find silence. Psalm 46:10 reminds us to “Be still,” yet this spiritual discipline is not something most of us pull out of our toolbox on a regular basis. Finding silence may mean driving with the radio turned off, or walking without your AirPods. When you find silence, you open your heart to what the Lord has in store. In my own life, the discipline of silence has given me the ability to hear the whispers of God in new ways. Some of my most creative ideas have come in silence, and while I don’t always feel comfortable, I know it is a practice that honors God.
3. Write down Spirit-nudges. Creating space for the Spirit is a spiritual practice. The more you practice the more you will become in tune with the difference between your voice and the voice of the Lord. Write down the things that you think might be from God, and keep them in a consolidated location. This will give you the ability to go back and evaluate how your practice is doing. It doesn’t have to be the most eloquent note you’ve ever written, just a couple of lines so that you can remember what you thought God was telling you. Habakkuk 2:2 reminds us to write down the vision clearly so the heralds may run with it - think of this as another version of that!
I want to leave you with one more thought that I hope will encourage you:
Hearing the voice of God isn’t about getting it right or wrong - it’s about intimacy.
From what I see in the Scriptures the God of all creation isn’t scared that you misinterpreted what He was telling you in the small whispers of your life. He’s thankful that you gave Him the time. What God desires from you is that space for the relationship.