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In the Midst of the Valley

Picture courtesy of PD Photo

In the Midst of the Valley is about being in the midst of so much stuff it's hard to see the sky. Ever feel like that? What we don't realize, sometimes, is that there are incredible treasures to be found in the valley! This blog was started because I beleive that the greatest potential for spiritual growth is in the valley - not on the mountain top. These are lessons God has taught me as I go through the valley season of my life. May He use them to minister to you. Mike

Monday, June 27, 2005

Hearing Enhanced or Hearing Impaired?

Sorry for not posting last week. I was sacrificing for God on the beach with my good friend Stacey and his high school group doing camp at Bigstuf camp in Panama City, FL. We had a great week. I introduced one student to Christ, met with another about a situation in his life that we have in common, and, with Stacey, met with another student about the possibility of surrendering his life to student ministry. Plus. . .we had incredible worship, weather, and fellowship.

Ok - on to today's post.

During the twelve plus hour ride to Panama City I was thinking about how much more sensitive I have become to God's voice and leading in my life as I travel through the valley of life. But I wonder, is it always like this? Do we valley experiencers tend to be more sensitive to God's small, still voice? Or is there the possibility of tuning God out all together or at least losing track of what his voice sounds like?

If I know one thing there is always an exception to the rule. So yes, I believe we can tune God out while we are in the midst of the valley. In other words, we become hearing impaired. I'm not completely sure how this happens, except to say that it could happen when we become angry, depressed, frustrated, or insecure. We could also become hearing impaired if/when we experience guilt or shame about being in the valley. There are probably as many reasons as there are people in the valley for tuning God out. Let's just say that if we become hearing impaired while we are in the valley it's our fault. God is always there. It says in James 4:8, "Come near to God and he will come near to you." God is waiting for us, not the other way around. He has given us the Good Shepherd, Jesus, to guide us through the valley. The question is will we listen for his voice and follow him when he leads?

Some of you have heard the voice of God. You are hearing enhanced. What has that been like for you? What would you share with other valley experiencers to help them hear God's voice? I would say:
Don't rush it.
Find some quiet places to go to hear from God.
Find where or how you best connect with God - nature, solitude, with other believers.
(for me it's my office with nothing on but my desk lamp - yes I do wear clothes, sometimes)
Journal - it helps me sort out things as I listen for God's voice.
Don't get frustrated with the progress - God has his own time table.

Hope this helps. I hope and pray that you will begin listening for God's voice. It helps in the valley to be able to hear. It keeps us from being fodder and prey for lifes temptations and trials.

Listening and learning,
Mike

2 Comments:

At 7/03/2005 11:59 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mike!

Just wanted to say that I love reading your blogs.

I especially liked today's on whether or not we hear God. There have been a times in my life when I got so busy and so hectic that I neglected to hear God's voice over my life. Sometimes, my life became so consumed in me that I couldn't even hear God's voice clearly. It all become a haze as I desperately came crawling back to Him. It's awesome that your verse was based on the book of James where it says, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." It's the exact verse that got me out of my "hearing impaired" mentality. I realized at that moment that Jesus does not revolove His life around me, but that my life is to be revolved around Jesus. He is constant, I am a whirlwind. He is perfect, I fall short. He is powerful, I am weak. When I realized this truth, it all fell into place. When I fed my own selfish ambitions and desires rather than feasting on God, my life felt out of place. However, when I starve the selfishness that consumes me and kept my eyes on Jesus, my life felt complete and full.

I love the truth that Stuart Hall spoke at BigStuf camp when he said, "The story of God will go on without you. He just wants you to be a part of it." God's desire for us is greater that our desire for Him. He wants us, but in all honesty, he doesn't need us. It is by God's amazing grace and mercy that we are called His.

all glory to Him.

 
At 7/06/2005 2:50 PM, Blogger MikeS said...

Anonymous,

It is so true that often times we become so consumed with our own rhetoric that we can't hear the voice of God.

Thanks for the reminder.

Mike

 

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