"Seek the Lord while you can find him.
Call on him now while he is near."
-Isaiah 55
This morning, just after sunrise, I went for a long walk in the woods. If you are ever in a place like this you have to walk out into the woods and be still, listen, pray and praise. That was my goal this morning...and I hoped to see a bear...but back to my topic. I walked about a mile back into the forest and just stood still...waiting...waiting for God. I prayed, I sang (badly), I quieted my mind and listened....
....I listened for God, but at times he feels as elusive as that bear I never saw today. At times I wait, I listen and I hear nothing.....I want to hear from him, I want to follow him, I want to be aware of his presence, but often.....silence.
I know many struggle when this happens. I have. Is this a game of "hide-and-seek"? Why is this so hard? But there is much more going on than you know when you sense God is not there. He's teaching us to be still. God said to David, "Be still (shut up) and know that I am God." God is there and he is not silent, but often I'm deaf to his voice. How do I fix that? What do I do?
I have to be still....be quiet, quiet my mind, my heart, my voice and wait on him. This morning I stood in the deep forest for more than 30 minutes. I know, that's not very long, but as I stood there praying, listening, silent before God, I waited for his voice. He knows I want to follow, he knows I desire his will, he knows me better than I know me....and yet he makes me wait. He says nothing.
What is going on? What's wrong? Nothing at all....God is working on things I'm completely unaware of. He's dealing with things in my life I have never dealt with. For me the first task is stillness....God has the response...I will know that HE is God.
I'm seeking God. He's not like that old bear who avoided me this morning...he's always with me, working in my life...even when I don't see him, even when I don't hear him. In these times I wait. He always works in my life in ways that surprise me. I look forward to his surprise today.
3 comments:
What a comfort to know that I'm not the only one who struggles with hearing God. Some people seem to "hear" Him so naturally and frequently, but that's not been my experience. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It makes me feel so "normal."
I desire more quiet time with the Lord, and yet it is me who prevents it. Thanks for the reminder, Mike!
Your morning sounds like my mountain experiences, too. The stillness, the waiting, is so good, so peaceful! I'm trusting Him completely at those times, just resting in Him. And He always gives me some illumination... maybe not about the agenda I have, but I don't doubt it will weave into something good. Thanks, Mike, for the memory reminder; as I've sought Him in the mountains, so should I also seek here, maybe in my back yard, but to seek, to wait, to rest in Him every day in some way.
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