I had a bit of a meltdown the other day. An overwhelming week mixed with a disagreement with my husband left me in tears, crying out to the Lord "why can't I hear you?!" Immediately I knew, my emotions were clouding my ability to hear from God. In that moment, I just wanted to curl in a ball and "not deal with it" or do the inner work to clear to clutter of my emotions.
Instead of scolding me or giving me a rebuke, the Lord gently reminded me that I do in fact hear Him quite well. He began reminding me that I hear Him best when sitting in church worship and gave me clear examples of when and how I hear from Him. The reminder conforted me and overruled my emotions with God's truth. My emotional mess quickly dissipated and was replaced with joy and love. I just needed to feel the Lord was with me.
Sometimes, daily life, challenges, overwhelming circumstances, or relational challenges can cause us to feel a little twisted up inside. It can cause us to see, believe, or hear things that aren't true. For me, it was that I couldn't hear or feel God. For some it might be feeling unloved, or alone, or misunderstood. Whatever those big, scary emotions are, there is a simple way to defeat it: draw near to the Lord. This might look like journaling, singing worship music, reading scripture, playing a sermon, or sitting quietly with the Lord. Where do you hear God the most? Where do you experience His presence? Go there and expect Him to meet you. Sometimes we make it complicated and think there's some big formula to hear from God, but it's really simple: Go to where you hear Him most, ask Him to speak to you, and wait expectantly. He promises that when we draw near, He will draw near to us.
Reflection questions for today:
How do you hear God? Through your writing, singing, pictures in your mind, a "just knowing" feeling?
Reflect on a time when you felt overwhelmed or twisted inside due to a specific thought, fear, or belief. How did you seek God's truth in that situation, and what did you discover?
Are there any patterns or recurring emotions that tend to cloud your ability to hear from God? How can you intentionally address and overcome those barriers?
How does recognizing God's presence and hearing His voice bring you comfort, clarity, and a renewed sense of joy and love?
How does drawing near to God and hearing His voice impact your overall well-being and ability to navigate through life's challenges?
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.-James 4:8
Amen 🙏🏼💕