God Is Speaking, Do you Perceive it?

Hard Times and Hard Hearts.

Sometimes when we are going through hard times we tend to think God is silent, but I would like to say that he is not silent. He is always speaking to us; however, we may not be in a place where we are receptive to how God is trying to speak to us. It is usually because our hearts are hardened.

Now when I say hard hearts instantly people begin to think of negative connotations and harsh judgments from God toward the hard-hearted individual. While there is validity to this assumption, it is not completely true. Some people who remained hard-hearted did receive punishment against them. In Rom. 2:5 it says that because of a person’s hard heart they are storing up wrath for themselves at the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment is revealed. But others, whose hearts were hard, were rebuked but not cast out awaiting the wrath of God.

The disciples at numerous times were said to have hard hearts. In Mark 6:52 it tells us that the disciples did not think about the miracle of the loaves because their heart was hardened. Mark 8:17 Jesus asks his disciples if their hearts were hardened. Then at the end of Mark 16:14 Jesus rebukes his disciples for their hardness of heart. Time and time again the disciples displayed hard hearts; yet, Jesus did not cast them to the side.

Strong's Greek definition: hard heartedness, that is, (specifically) destitution of (spiritual) perception: - hardness of heart. 

Destitution of spiritual perception. They lacked the spiritual perception to see the hand of God in a situation. Or how God was trying to communicate with them through his Spirit.

When we go through hard times we tend to lose sight of God. We tend to think that he is distant or unconcerned. We think that he is silent, but in all actuality he is still communicating to us. It is just a matter of us getting our perception right.

All Eyes On Him

Recently I have been thinking about how God called out to Moses from the burning bush _{(found in Exodus chapter 3)}. He only called out to Moses after He saw Moses turn and look on the bush. God waited until He had Moses’ undivided attention. I wonder though, how often did God appear to Moses waiting for him to turn his attention towards Him? It is purely speculative, but it intrigues me.

Another scenario is when Jesus meets his disciples on the road to Emmaus and their eyes were kept from recognizing him. He talks with them along the way and when they get to the town they were headed to, Jesus acted as if he was going to keep traveling forward. They stopped him and asked him to stay with them until morning because it was already late in the evening. He complied. While they were sitting down to eat after Jesus blessed and gave thanks their eyes were opened to know who he was _{(full story found in Luke chapter 24)}. I’ve wondered here, what if these men never asked him to stay with them?

To me it is simple, then they would have never known that they were speaking to Jesus. He was hidden from them. But then when they took time to stop the man from going forward and dove into connection that’s when Jesus opened their eyes. He wants us to dive into connection, to be present. He wants us to give him our undivided attention.

“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”

Jer. 29:13

Conclusion

Sometimes we just need to be present, undistracted and looking for him. Then we will see him. If we are too busy with trivial things we may miss him. I wonder how many moments in my own life that God was wanting to talk to me and yet I completely missed him?

This is something I pray that will be corrected in me. I want to hear my Father every time he calls out to me. I do not ever want to miss an opportunity when God calls me into fellowship with him. I know that he is always with me, but being with someone and fellowshipping with them are two different things. Just ask some married couples. Being married to someone and living in the same house does not mean that you have great communication or fellowship.

Call to Action

Let this be our prayer, “Father, I want to know you. Not just about you, but really know you. Who you are and what you are like. I don’t want to just read about you or hear about you from others I want true fellowship with you. Please help me when I get distracted with insignificant things because all things are insignificant when compared to you. And soften my heart to the different ways your Spirit is operating in and through me. I want my eyes to be opened to any way you are trying to speak to me. If through a burning bush, a stranger on the street, or through your Spirit working around me I want to be present pressing into connection. Thank you for your faithful love in doing these things! Praise your name forever!”

_{Image by Michael Power via https://www.artstation.com/artwork/wNYxw}