Hearing God’s Voice

Do you hear God’s voice? Would you know it if you heard it? How do you know it’s His voice and not your own thoughts or those of an imposter from the spiritual realm trying to mislead you?

A couple of months ago I heard that a co-host on the ABC talk show, The View, had questioned the mental health of a man of faith who holds a prominent position in government; actually in the White House. Many held that Joy Behar was mocking the faith of our Vice President, when she said: “It’s one thing to talk to Jesus. It’s another thing when Jesus talks to you. That’s called mental illness, if I’m not correct, hearing voices.”  Ouch!

There was a call to stand for our faith, to speak on behalf of all people of faith and to demand that ABC stop allowing insults of the Christian faith to continue.  So, I prayed over what my response, if any, should be.  You’ve already read about the predicaments I can get into, when I act without thinking and praying over my words or actions (see my blog “In The Dead Of Night”).  https://gardenlessonsbook.com/in-the-dead-of-night/  In a situation like this, where so many others were already expressing themselves, probably with anger and quite forcefully, I couldn’t quite see what benefit my perspective would bring to ABC or Ms. Behar.

Soon I felt a distinct impression in my heart and mind that said, “You have much to say about this.  No one else has written a book entitled, “Garden Lessons: Listening for God’s Voice”.

Okay! I thought.  That’s very true!  But as I pondered the “impression”, I wondered if I might have mistaken my own idea as something from God.  After all, this might merely be a way to promote myself and generate book sales, which might be okay but not necessarily what God wanted in this situation.  So I prayed again, this time asking the Lord if this was what He wanted me to do, and to help me know without a doubt if this was my own idea or His.

Squirrel getting ready to plant seeds

I was actually up early, getting ready to lead the worship music at my Bible study, when I was talking this over with Him. Still praying, I went out to the kitchen to eat breakfast before I left, when I noticed our resident squirrel on our porch.  He jumped into one of our large potted plumeria plants, dug a little hole, planted a seed or nut, then jumped over to the next pot, digging another hole and planting another seed; and on to the next pot doing the same thing.  He dug holes and planted seeds in all SEVEN pots, before leaping off of the porch and out of my sight.

Planting seeds.  The little squirrel was just planting seeds.  That was what God was asking ME to do: send my book to Joy Behar along with a gracious and respectful cover letter, explaining my perspective on faith and hearing God’s voice.

So I did…

 

To Be Continued….Part 2 Coming Tomorrow.