When 'Hearing from God' Becomes an Idol

At the age of fifteen, I went through a rather arduous process wherein God taught me how to listen to Him. From that time on, I have seldom struggled to hear from God. I take time to listen, and He talks. 

Source unknown

Of course, He doesn't always talk to me about the things I want to hear. Frequently, He answers my questions by bringing up things that seem completely unrelated to the matter at hand. But, nevertheless, I do hear from Him.

And this makes me a bit of an anomaly in many Christian circles.

Quite a few people have expressed their feelings - ranging from amazement to envy - at the fact that God actually talks to me, and have asked variants of the same question; 'why can't I hear from Him?'

Not being God, I frequently don't know the reason why. Do they spend (as I did) too little time listening for Him? Has unrepented sin and disobedience deafened their spiritual ears (as happens, too often, to mine)? Could it be that they actually are hearing from God each day, but lack the perception to recognize Him?

The list of questions could continue indefinitely. I am not equipped with many of the answers and, if I'm not careful, the complexity of my questions will distract me from the simplicity of my task.

Because it isn't my responsibility to explain and comprehend God or His methods of working with His other children. It's simply my job to let Him show me what He's doing and how He wants me to participate in it.

Easily said. Not so easily lived.

Since I can hear from God so often and so clearly, it is tempting for me to become rather lazy. I allow my ability to discern His voice to lull me into a false sense of spiritual superiority and make me blind to the disobedience that may be rampaging through my life. 

God reminded me sharply of this one day.

"You may hear from Me," He said, "but if you don't act on what you hear, you are no better off than those who don't hear, yet obey."

'Everyone to whom much was given,

of him much will be required.'

Luke 12:48

We have all been given a great deal. And we are all expected to use what we've been given. I have been given the ability to hear. I am therefore responsible to listen well and act upon the guidance I've received.

What have you been given?

And what is required?

The answer to that will be different for each person, but there are some requirements that are applicable to all of us:

To love Him through our obedience. (John 14:15)

To do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God. (Micah 6:8)

Let's not allow either our ability or our inability to hear directly from God to distract us from doing the things He has already given us to do. We will be drawn closer to God through a daily walking out of our obedience and love. Our natures will become more closely conformed to His and our spirits will be stilled, our ears opened, to hear His voice.

Through obedience, I believe that He will speak.