I have heard many sermons and teachingsabout the importance of listening to Godinstead of making prayer a monologue. - P168
And I know God speaks to us through HisWord, but the Bible often does not give adirect and specific answer to our prayers. What does listening to God look like, andhow can I practice it? - P168
Many people who pray are unsure about whether God is actually listening. If they cannot find a friend or therapist to talk to, they settle for sharing theirthoughts and feelings with God. - P168
But for them, prayer is a monologue becausethey do not expect a response. However, we as Christians are supposed to praywith faith that our God speaks to us. - P168
God does not need us to initiate a conversation with Him. Many times, He speaks to us first, but we do not recognize His voice. - P168
When God called out to ayoung Samuel, he assumed that it was the voice of Eli. He did not receive the fullmessage of God until he realized God was trying to speak to him and responded, "Speak, for your servant is listening" (1 Sam. 3:10). - P168
The first step to engaging in conversation with God is to recognize that God is more than willing to speak, but we are the ones who are unwilling to listen. - P168
If we look at the life of Jesus, He would wake up early and go to a solitary place to pray (Mark 1:35). This shows us that we need to remove all distractions and be ready to give our full attention to God if we want to hear from Him. - P168
God often speaks in whispers, and we will only hear His voice when our hearts are ready and we are leaning into His presence. - P168
God chooses to whisper, not because He lacks the power to speak loudly, but because He invites us into intimacy. - P168
|