IF YOU WANT TO HEAR GOD SPEAK, YOU MUST LISTEN

February 07, 2017

“In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, went away to a secluded place and was praying there.” – Mark 1:35

One of the difficulties we all have is getting into the practice of having prayer and quiet time with the Lord on a regular basis. It’s often hard to do in this fast-paced world in which we live. But it’s not impossible.

Find a place that’s easy to get to and a place that you enjoy and feel comfortable each time you go. You may have a quiet spot in your home, or perhaps it would work better to get to the office early and close the door. For some, it’s a walk in the park, because you may have found that you can pray best when you’re enjoying outdoors. And, for those of you who travel a lot, you may have more trouble finding a routine place. But what could be more private than a hotel room? Each person has a different place that feels right, but the important thing is to find a place that works for you.

Then, decide on a plan for your quiet time. Maybe you can start with a devotional that helps get your spiritual juices flowing. After that, ponder on what it says and then look up the Scripture from which the devotion is taken and read from the Bible, think about the words, and think about God. And then, begin to pray. If you don’t know where to begin, look at Jesus’ model prayer, not to recite, but just to help you focus. And then, just listen for the voice and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. After a while, this will become like second nature to you and spending time with the Lord will not only fuel you for the day, but you’ll find that without it, your day just isn’t complete.

The main thing is to find what works for you and begin enjoying the blessing you will receive by being alone with God. I can promise you that there’s nothing like it. Not only will you enjoy communing with your Lord, but you will begin to hear God speak to you in ways you’ve never heard before. Know why? It’s because you’ve given Him the chance to speak because you’re still! “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)