Listening to Him
God is speaking all the time. He speaks through movies, nature, songs, and notes from friends. When you feel like your pastor is speaking directly to you or you have a revelation reading your old journal, that’s God speaking to you. There’s no method beyond His reach. In the past few weeks, I’ve been learning to listen to God. A few weeks ago, I was offered to continue my job here in Hawaii. What?!? Before this offer, I had no plans or even thoughts of staying. I questioned God, “Is this really your will for me?” This was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make. Do I stay here on the Big Island or move home, a decision I thought would be easy. It was not. My mind was telling me that “you’ll be more comfortable at home” and “you need to be with your family.” But something I’m my heart was saying, “you should stay” and “God has a bigger plan for you here.” Well at first, to be honest, I didn’t want to hear that. I didn’t want to stay. I was missing my family, my home, my friends, my comfort. I wanted to come home to Minnesota, but I really felt God’s call to stay and continue working here. I need to do fundraising for this trip, and prepare my pack, my gear, etc. But with just trusting that God will be faithful and provide, I have made the decision to stay here. Until December!
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.”
??Psalm? ?32:8 While I was trying to decide, I was questioning whether or not it was God speaking to me or my own thoughts. I prayed, and prayed, and asked others to pray for me. I talked with people I trust that are unbiased. And I looked for reassurances in my life. “If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.”
??John? ?7:17? Thankfully, when we’re unsure if what we’re hearing is from God, we can test it. If it aligns with God’s character and what He says in the Bible, then it’s likely Him. When we hear negative self-talk or lies from the world that don’t line up with Scripture, we can brush them off knowing they’re not from God. The only way to get closer to God and hear his voice is to talk to him. He will listen to everything you want to say and in turn, he will speak to you. “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” ??1 John? ?5:14-15
The first few days after I made the decision, my mind was worried. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, how it was going to go. Plane tickets, training camp, visiting my family, how is this going to work? But as the days have gone by, I’ve become at peace with this decision. I was talking with a friend and mentor about the peace I have finally been feeling about staying. And she told me, “That sounds like that deep knowing you get the more you lean into the decision to obey God, as it settles in more & more that it really is what He’s asking you to do!” This confidence only comes from God. Just obeying Him is the first step. He will work out the details later. Trust in God and he will provide. I pray that God’s will be done, not my own will.
And to close my story, will you please continue to pray for me and this adventure? And consider donating to support my mission trip? Please share with anyone you feel God is calling you to share! 🙂
Blessings to you and your family and may you trust in him, even when it’s scary.
Love,
Clara Grace
