There are times in our lives when nothing else would do to comfort us but the voice of the Lord. There is nothing that anyone can say or do to make us feel better. We have fallen and continue to do so into a pit without any outlets and our only hope is to hear God’s voice as our means of comfort. During these times we wish the sky could open and swallow us up as we search for answers in this darkness. What most of us do not know is that this is when God is closest to us and is perfect within us. Below are ten tips for finding his voice in this dark and weary place.

1. Working off the energy
Coming to God in troubled times means we must leave the world behind and all the noises that we are used hearing around us. This cannot happen if we have something to do or were planning to do. It is paramount that we complete all scheduled activities. On other occasions it is not that we have something to do but we are full of energy, maybe our exasperation at the situation we face has given us all this energy. Again God would not talk to us at these moments so we must find an outlet to rid ourselves of this energy. We can walk, run, talk, read, write, play or do anything that comes to mind but that doesn’t cloud our minds (such as drugs or alcohol) until we are tired. We must not carry out negative acts but try to exhaust all possible outlets available to us. By doing this we would come to the conclusion that we have failed ourselves and there is noting more for us to do but receive God’s strength. This is a good place to be because when we eventually hear God’s voice we would have no doubt that it is him and not us.

2. Questions and Answers
Most times in positions of difficulty we dread asking ourselves endless questions that seem to have no answers. Sometimes these questions have answers that lead to nowhere and we find ourselves going round in circles without an out let. This is good. It may appear wrong to us and our health but in this place we are one with ourselves. This is self discovery, if we never ask ourselves questions that we cannot answer then we won’t understand our weaknesses. When we come to the realization that there are no answers and we are in this endless loop we would be willing to accept God’s voice for support. If we have the answers that we need then why should we need God? God comes to those who need him, Christ came for sinners. God is strongest within us when we have no answers but we must be willing to admit this to ourselves.

3. Tried and Tested
Sometimes we think we have heard God’s voice but the fact remains that we haven’t. To ensure that we haven’t made any mistakes then we should not be afraid to put our thoughts to test. If we don’t do this then moving forward could be a problem. We would always be second guessing our actions. We would blame ourselves for doing one thing instead of another. It is best to get all that we have thought about out of the way in order that new thoughts can flow through us without reservation. This opens a path for the Lord into our minds.

4. Retracing our steps
On some occasions in difficult moments we feel that the answers lay in the past, that there was something we missed, something that was there which we never noticed. There is no harm in revisiting every junction in our past thoughts and actions. If the answer lies there we would find it, if it does not then at least we have made sure that we did not miss anything. The most important thing here is carrying out the exercise. It shows that we are human and can make mistakes. This admission to God of self judgment and understanding means we won’t refute his support when he wishes to help us.

5. Prayer
As difficult as it might be to say the words or even go to our knees during these difficult times we must meditate the Lord’s prayer. The Lord’s prayer is complete in every way possible and applies to any situation and anytime. He has said we should pray through him and has taught us his words. We don’t need to struggle to find other words. His words are sufficient for us and we just need to meditate them continuously. By doing this we are raising our spirits in awareness. We are also accepting the Lord to be our mediator. This is humility and a greater understanding.

6. Fasting
Fasting is optional for those of us who can. Fasting strengthens our relationship with God and raises our spirits. After fasting we feel empowered with the Holy Spirit. We feel that we have accomplished a deed of righteousness before God and so our hope in expectations is warranted. After the fast whatever we receive is accepted as a gift from God. This is good. God wants no doubt in our minds when we ask him of something. He wants our complete faith and this is the best way of showing this.

7. Silence
God is a spirit and so we must worship him in truth and in spirit. However there are other spirits, those of the negative kind that also are aware of our problem. They are the many noises that wish to distract us from the path. To hear God’s voice we must find silence and peace. We must be in a place and position to listen and receive. God cannot come to a place of noise and rowdiness. If we are too busy with schedules and activities then we aren’t ready to receive. It is important to find silence and calm. In this place God would find us and we would be able to hear his voice.

8. Blame
It is also very important that we avoid blaming ourselves or anyone else, about what led to us being in this difficult situation. We must accept that we got there because it was meant to be. By accepting this we are telling God that we are aware that he controls our existence. By doing this we won’t have any doubt when he talks to us about what we should do next. If we blame ourselves or anyone else then we are bound to carry on doing this even when the Lord directs us in the future. The spiritual world is not about our wisdom. It is about God. If we have accepted him in our lives then we must know that whatever we are going through is what he has decided for us. This way we won’t dispute what ever he decides to give us.

9. Turning to Scripture
Despite what the world might think, the bible is no ordinary book. It is spiritual. This means it is always renewing itself in our hearts and minds every time we decide to read it. Every story, parable or phrase is written to meet the demands of who we are at the time we open the Holy Bible. Whether we are overjoyed, depressed or just bored the bible has a phrase or verse that suits our mood. Even when the words make no sense to us at the time, we must still read them. This is giving God the upper hand in our lives. This is worship and praise. God loves this. He is our heavenly father and likes that we look up to him. If we can do this even when all seems lost he would reward us in kind.

10. Time and chance
To seek God in our lives is to have the knowledge that he works in mysterious ways. We should not expect him to act in the way that any of us would. His answers do not lie in the wisdom of our thinking. His time is not measured by the certainties we are accustomed to in society. What looks like the end is the beginning and vice versa before God. This is why we must always wait in expectation and patience. God is talking to us at all times we just have to listen. Our greatest difficulty is the assumption we always make that God would choose a particular moment. The fact of the matter is that we choose this moment because we finally decide that the world is not enough and desire God. God has been from the beginning, will be and is. He is within us. He is constantly talking to us so the question we have to ask ourselves is whether we are constantly listening. Even doing nothing is doing something with God. The rules of the spiritual world are spiritual and not man made.

Following these ten tips we would always be able to hear the voice of God within us.

Leslie Musoko http://lesliemusoko.ning.com http://lesliemusoko.blogspot.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Leslie_Musoko

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Karla Urwitz

As a full-time career oriented mother of one, I love all things travel. I was in the hospitality business for 15 years and loved it. So why not become a travel agent. I have been a travel agent since 2019 and enjoy helping others make memories. Now I am finding a balance between work, travel, and life.

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