One of the hardest things I struggle with as a mom is having to constantly remind my sons (okay, son and husband, Baby Declan doesn’t count yet) of things I’ve said when they weren’t listening. I find that having to repeat myself several times and still not being heard is so very taxing on my momma patience. And let’s be honest – some days, there isn’t enough coffee in the world to help with that.
From not picking up dirty laundry, not wearing your muddy boots in the house, to don’t lay under the mini-trampoline while brother is bouncing on it! I can feel my blood pressure rising as the day goes on.
It was Einstein who said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting the same results.” So what does this momma do when no one’s listening? Yell. Clearly, they aren’t hearing me, so I’ll MAKE them listen! Oh yes, it’s usually shocking to people who know me personally to hear that I am a yeller when I get frustrated. The truth is, that’s really not in my personality to do at all. But something inside me gets triggered when I feel I’m not being heard.
Today that got me thinking about how often people (me) get frustrated with God or turn from Him because they haven’t heard from Him.
“I used to pray, but I never got an answer.”
“I just wish God would speak to me.”
“If there is a God, why do I feel so alone?”
Most often, when I speak to my children and husband they physically hear me. But if they aren’t focused on me at that time, the chances they retain and will actually listen to what I’ve said are slim.
Isn’t that exactly what we do with God? If we’re really being honest. We get this small feeling in our hearts or read something that sparks something in us but if we aren’t in the mindset to listen and process what we’re hearing the moment passes and we still feel like God has forgotten us.
The most reliable source for God to speak with us is to be in the Word. Daily. (Which is something I know that I also need to work on.) But I fully believe the Spirit of God can still speak to our hearts.
1 Kings 19:11-13 tells us that God spoke to Elijah with a “still small voice”. A voice that if you’re mind is caught up elsewhere, you might not catch it. Maybe that is the voice God speaks to us with when we don’t hear from Him. He’s calling us to quiet our hearts, and to truly listen to what He has to say.
“Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”
John 8:47
If you’re struggling with hearing from God, ask yourself if it’s truly God that you belong to? Have you been so focused on work, family, yourself that you have fallen away from being solely His? Would the God who created you, who knows every hair on your head, and loved you while you were still in your mother’s womb truly not speak to you? Or are you just not listening?
❤