What keeps you from hearing God’s voice?
The message of the Scriptures is that there is a God who is pursuing us and speaking to us. The problem is that we aren’t listening.
Matthew 13:10-17 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'”
But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
Did you hear that? You and I can know what prophets and holy people from the past longed to know! You and I can experience a closeness with God that others have wished they could have! They longed to have the kind of access to God that we take for granted in Jesus. God came to earth and walked the earth as a man named Jesus, and He offers us access to His Spirit when we choose to follow Him. We take this for granted! So many have longed for what we have!
Is your heart calloused? Want a more vulnerable heart? Want to hear God’s voice? Jesus says: “If your heart is hard then turn to Him, and He will heal you!”
From the beginning to the end and everywhere in between, God is rescuing people from their hard hearts and offering love and new life!
At the end of the Bible, in Revelation 3:19b-20:
So be sincere and turn around. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
Jesus is a gentleman. He isn’t kicking down the door of your heart. He stands there and knocks, wanting you to turn around and let Him in. When you do, you experience communion and genuine relationship with Him. He says your relationship could be as close as a great friend who comes over to share a meal with you!
Even if you’ve walked for God for a long time, every day you need to open your heart to Him. We can easily drift away, and when our back is turned to Him we cannot hear His voice.
There was a story at the beginning of the New Testament in Mark 9 of a father whose son was extremely troubled. 21 Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?”
“From childhood,” he answered… But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”
“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
Maybe you want to believe but find it difficult. Try the father’s prayer: “Jesus, help me overcome my unbelief! Help me believe!”
Near the beginning of the Bible is a fascinating verse which can help us when we find ourselves stuck.
Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.
Once again, we see that God reveals His secrets to those who want to hear them, and if we have trouble, He offers to help.
Listen to this from Deuteronomy 30:6.
God, your God, will cut away the thick calluses on your heart and your children’s hearts, freeing you to love God, your God, with your whole heart and soul and live, really live.
God will help us trust Him! God will help us love Him so we can truly live! Let God help you do what you cannot do for yourself.
The original word for “cut away” used in the original language is the same word for “circumcise.”
Another version of Deuteronomy 30:6 says:
The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.
The word circumcise literally means “to cut around.” Some of us have scar tissue and callouses built up around our hardened hearts, and that keeps us from trusting God.
We have allowed evil choices of others to affect how we trust God and trust others. We have allowed others to steal from us what God wants to give! Don’t give others so much power in your life!
Let God remove the pain around your heart that keeps you from trusting Him so you can hear His voice and discover your calling and purpose in life.
Listen to the follow up in Deuteronomy 30:11-14
Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.
This is possible! God’s voice is accessible! The question is: do you want to hear Him today?
Some of us have come to closure too soon on our understanding of God and what He wants to do in our lives and through our lives.
