As I mentioned in my first post, I have recently found my voice again. I’m not exactly sure how or when I lost it, whether it happened gradually or all at once. But after several weeks of spending my entire commute into work replaying recent conversations where I hadn’t spoken up with my views (this time adding my two cents to see how the conversation could have changed course), I realized it was gone … and it was something I wanted back. It frustrated me to realize I had been “involved” in conversations where my opinion was just assumed to be the same as those around me. It frustrated me to have something important to say, only to not have anyone wanting to hear it. I am definitely to blame for this, as I stopped letting my feelings and opinions be known. However some of this hesitation to sharing my true thoughts came as a result of those thoughts being dismissed or not really heard in the past by those around me (if no one is going to listen to what I have to say – why say anything at all!).
I imagine this is how God feels when we become inundated with the various distractions of this life that drown out or prevent us from hearing His voice. Because God does not speak to us through a burning bush or cloud of smoke like he did with Moses (at least none of the bushes in my garden have caught fire!), it can take a great deal of patience, concentration and determination to hear Him. But just because He uses different (less in-your-face) means of speaking to us, doesn’t mean He isn’t still speaking or doesn’t have anything important to stay. On the contrary!
I am reading, “When God Winks At You: How God Speaks Directly to You Through the Power of Coincidence” by Squire Rushnell. I’m not far enough through it to give a good commentary yet, however it caught my eye in the store as it is a compilation of stories from people who have felt God working around them in very real and tangible ways. Many people would look at these stories as mere coincidences. The pastor I grew up listening to referred to them rather as God-incidences. I have come across many such God-incidences recently where I have no doubt God had my number and was dialing in to speak just to me. One morning I was feeling quite angry at what was going on around me (and to many my anger was justified). I logged onto Facebook to hopefully find a distraction (ok – I was also going to vent my anger on there) and the first post I saw was from a friend… it had the following verses:
“If you become angry, do not let your anger lead you into sin, and do not stay angry all day. Don’t give the Devil a chance.” Ephesians 4:26-27
Really? God might as well have been sitting on my couch with that verse! And people think God doesn’t talk to us anymore! By no means is this the only time that God has tapped me on the shoulder to speak to me, and the important point is to just be open and aware of the various methods God may be using to get our attention. It may be through the words of a song, a comment from a friend, and episode of the Cosby Show – who knows! God has the whole world at His disposal to determine the best way to get our attention. So while you’re out looking for a burning bush, don’t miss the song on the radio!
just2blessed2bstressed 