Hello?! Are You Listening?!

I say this to my son at least once every day.  He's 4.  You understand.

 

I just realized that God's been saying this to me at least once every day for the past few weeks, and probably a whole lot longer.  I'm not 4.  I don't understand.

 

How can I be so busy searching for answers that I miss God standing right in front of my face giving me all the information I need?

 

Hello?!!

 

I continue to be amazed at how God uses children to reveal such simple yet powerful truths to us hard-headed adults!  I can't even begin to count the times God has used my son to open my eyes.  Well, whatever that number may be, let's add another one to the total!

 

There have been so many Bible verses, biblical concepts, and life applications repeatedly revealed to me lately.  God is communicating many things to me and has made them very obvious.  Yet it took so many times for it all to sink in, that I'm sure God has been thinking "Hello?!  Carrie?!  Are you listening?!"  I used "hard-headed" to describe us adults in the last paragraph, but I think "hard-hearted" applies very well to me also.  God is really working on my heart in so many ways.  He has opened my mind to gain new perspective, now I pray that my heart will soften so that I will act on it.

 

Psalm 10:4 says that the proud person "does not seek Him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God."  I am proud.  I think I can figure things out on my own.  But I can't.  And I definitely don't want to push God out of my life.  That's a scary thought!

 

We are reminded in Philippians 4:6 "do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present [our] requests to God."

 

In Proverbs 2:1-5, God says, "...if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, tuning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding - indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God."

 

God reassures us in Jeremiah 29:11 that "...[He] knows the plans [He] has for [us]...Plans to prosper [us] and not to harm [us], plans to give [us] hope and a future."

 

So here it is in a nutshell:  Stop trying to figure things out on our own, and quit worrying about every little thing.  Rather, seek guidance from God, earnestly listen to and truly hear what God tells us, and know that God knows what to do.  He already has plans for each and every one of us.

 

Here are some of the things God has been telling me: 

• I should quit trying to figure out what my new town has to offer me and start focusing on why God has put me here and what I have to offer others, or I am going to miss opportunities to serve. 
 
• I need to be appreciative and grateful for my blessings and give God the glory for everything, because God gives and takes away, and because every good thing comes from God.
 
• I need to spend more time with God through prayer and reading His Word.
 
• I need to be patient and remain faithful to God even when He doesn't answer my prayers on my timing.  I need to live according to God's timing.



Apparently, I've got a lot of changing to do, so here I go!

 

 

Has God been trying to tell you something lately?  Are you listening?