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Closer to Christ
When You Cannot Hear God’s Voice
Through this series of lessons, we are looking at ways to be closer to Christ. They involve prayer. What to Say to God (God, You’re Amazing, Thanks, Sorry, Help Me, and Help Others). We also looked at How to Say It (Passion, Honesty, Faith, and Respect).
In our third lesson, we talked about ways to feel closer to God. They included; Getting into the Throne Room, Believing in His Desire to be Close to You, Experiencing His Closeness in Quiet Moments
In our last lesson, we studied a more challenging subject: How to Listen for God’s Voice;
- By Spiritual Eyes (Seeing with Our Hearts)
- By Spiritual Ears (Hearing with Our Hearts)
- By Heart or Feelings (Feeling God’s Peace)
- By Words of Others
- By The Bible
We should all think of prayer as a two-way conversation. Even if God isn’t showing us anything right now, we should still be mindful. He is present. He is hearing. He is reacting, even though we cannot feel it.
Sometimes, God’s presence seems so real to you. He can show you answers in your mind. You can hear Him in your heart. You can feel and sense Him right there with you by your side. That is wonderful!
But there are times that even the best Christians will tell you they cannot feel God’s presence or His guidance or support. Does that mean He is too busy for us? Does that mean we are not that important to Him? NO!
In this lesson, we will look at some reasons why we cannot sense God at times. Often, the problem is coming from us and not Him. So, let us see how to correct our thinking.
Reasons We Can’t Hear God’s Voice
The Bible says many times and, in many ways, that God hears ALL prayers. In our last lesson, we had many scriptures showing us that He wants to lead and guide us. We can enter God’s throne room in prayer expecting to hear from Him.
However, there are those times when we can’t sense Him and it feels like we are talking to ourselves.
Guilt
What if you just did something awful and now you want to pray for protection or ask the Lord to help you with a particular need?
If you feel guilty about something you did, you cannot hear God’s voice until you say sorry! The reason why is because you will be too distracted by your guilt. But look at also what God’s Word teaches;
(Psalm 66:18), If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.
If there is something that you did wrong, before you pray for anything else, confess your sin sincerely to God. He will immediately forgive you so that He can answer your prayer.
(1 John 1:9), If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
False Guilt
Have you ever had a day where everything went wrong? Your boss yelled, your teacher yelled, coworkers mistreated you, and you felt horrible This is a time when it is important to speak to God! However, sometimes, wrong thoughts or evil forces that God’s Word speaks about in Ephesians 6:10-18, will try to tell you, “God would never want to talk to you!” “You’re not good enough!”
Sometimes we are not guilty! If you feel awful and you did not do anything, do not let those dark forces get you down but rather be strong in the name of Jesus and rebuke those thoughts and tell them to leave. To see the power Jesus gives you in these moments.
(James 4:7), Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Doubt
Occasionally, we might doubt God’s presence or His willingness to help. We allow unbelief to affect us because of a particular circumstance we are going through. Or we may think that our request is so small in God’s sight and He would not want to be bothered with it. God does care even for the little things in our lives.
(2 Kings 6:1-7), So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, master! For it was borrowed.” So the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And he showed him the place. So he cut off a stick, and threw it in there; and he made the iron float. Therefore he said, “Pick it up for yourself.” So he reached out his hand and took it.
Here is a man that borrowed an axe to cut wood. The axe fell into the water and was lost. Even though this is just a small matter, God heard the man’s cry and created a miracle, allowing the heavy metal axe to float on the water so the man could get it back. We hope that you will always remember this account in God’s Word remembering that even though there are very “huge” and even “astronomical” problems compared to this going on in the world, God still notices and cares for such little things that happen in our daily lives and will be there to help us and answer our prayers as long as we believe He will do so!
In order for us to hear from God, we must believe that He exists, that He does care no matter how big or small our request may seem and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.
(Hebrews 11:6), But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
(James 1:6-7), But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;
Reading and memorizing Scriptures like these we have just read, along with being in awe of God’s creation all around you that continually ministers to your needs (the water we drink, the food we eat, the sun, the wind, the rain, the air we breathe, etc.) will wipe away doubt and thus allowing you to hear more clearly what He is trying to say to you.
You Feel Silly!
Some people have no problem talking to God. But if it is new to you, you may feel like you’re talking to a wall, or talking to air!
Do you remember when you first tried to write your name? Didn’t it feel awkward or difficult? When you first tried learning to ride a bike, didn’t that feel awkward or difficult also? But you kept trying and now it is easy to write your name and ride your bike. It’s so easy, you hardly even think about it and yet you are very good at it.
Do not give up on listening for God or praying to Him. Your wisdom, experience, and understanding will grow, and then you will understand why so many other people love praying to God and hearing His voice. You will understand why people love praying in a moment’s notice without hesitation to ask God for something, and not feel silly about it. You will understand why people love praying even when they are at the restaurant, giving God thanks for the food, and not feel silly about it.
(Philippians 4:6-7), Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
(1 Peter 5:7), casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
You Don’t Need That Answer
Let’s say you ask God, “I just gave my friend some grocery money to help him out and so why is he quitting his job?”
If God does not want to give you that information, you will only hear silence.
(John 21:20-22), Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, But Lord, what about this man? Jesus said to him, If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.
Sometimes you might pray for something but will not hear God answer your prayer immediately because it is information you don’t need today, this week, or this year. Just be patient and remember your Heavenly Father knows what is best for you. He might reveal the answer at a later date.
You are Too Upset
God wants you to turn to Him when you find yourself upset about something. Many Christians have felt His sympathy during these moments.
However, you might find it hard to hear His solutions when you remain upset. Often times, being upset comes from unbelief in the heart. For example, a person might become upset because they lost their job and forgot that especially during these moments, we should trust God to find us another job or provide for us one way or another.
Faith is calm. Faith comes with gentle peace. Hearing God when you’re upset is like walking in a rainstorm compared to walking in the sunshine.
Do not expect to understand input from God until you are calmer.
Many Answers Take Time
Sometimes we make a request of God concerning others. Then we forget He is working with a lot of people who have free will. If your request involves moving all of them in decisions and direction, it can take a while!
Thank Him in advance for working on your behalf. Thank Him often. But don’t nag. Nagging involves doubt.
(Psalms 46:10), “Be still, and know that I am God
With all this in mind, remember that we are attached to Jesus. No matter what we’re going through, or what we want to say to Him, or hear from Him, He is with us, and we are with Him.
(John 15:5), I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
(Matthew 6:8), Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.
As we have mentioned in this series called “Closer to Christ”, the Book of Psalms is all about communicating to God. If you really want to improve your heart-felt communication with your Creator and best Friend, read Psalms often. Let us also look at others in God’s Word.
Guilt
(Jeremiah 11:13-14), For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars to that shameful thing, altars to burn incense to Baal. “So do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry out to Me because of their trouble.
(Proverbs 21:13), Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor Will also cry himself and not be heard.
(James 4:3), You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.
False Guilt
Job was a great man of God but had his low moments. In his affliction, he developed a self-pity and was rebuked of this false guilt. Sometimes we try to get God’s attention by self-pity and try to get Him to think our situation is worthy of His consideration. These thoughts amount to nothing more than vain efforts to God.
(Job 35:13) Surely God will not listen to empty talk, Nor will the Almighty regard it.
(Job 38:1-3) – (40:3-5) Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said: “Who is this who darkens counsel By words without knowledge? Now prepare yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me… Then Job answered the Lord and said: “Behold, I am vile; What shall I answer You? I lay my hand over my mouth. Once I have spoken, but I will not answer; Yes, twice, but I will proceed no further.
Doubt
(Jeremiah 32:27), Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?
(Luke 24:25-26), Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?
You Feel Silly!
Sometimes feeling silly is actually feeling ashamed. When others try to make you think it is silly to believe in Jesus or the Bible, or to tempt you to feel ashamed like when you are at a restaurant and want to give thanks to the Lord by prayer for the food, try to remember that they are the ones that should feel ashamed and not you!
(Luke 9:26), For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.
(Matthew 10:27), Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.
You Don’t Need That Answer
(Acts 1:6-7). Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.
You are Too Upset
(Psalm 73:1-17), Truly God is good to Israel, To such as are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; My steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked… When I thought how to understand this, It was too painful for me, Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end.
Many Answers Take Time
(Daniel 12:8-9), Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?” And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
When you feel like God is not listening or hearing you, please consider all these areas we have brought to your attention in hope that it will restore any loss of communication between you and Jesus. Taking the advantage we have to actually talk to our Creator is one of life’s most awesome privileges! USE IT!!!!!