Following God's direction

Following God's direction is sometimes hard. Have you ever heard that voice inside and wondered is that God or is that me? I do this all the time. And usually I hear God after I made the wrong choice and heard myself disguised as Him. The big man upstairs is always talking to us, the question is are we listening. OHHH! Sore subject I know. Listening? Does that mean listening to the radio and hearing God's word jump out of you in a country song? LOL, sometimes but I don't think often. I had a friend who used to do that. She would ask God for advice, usually about a new guy she wanted to date and then go back to life as normal and look for a sign. Usually it was a sign that lead her to what she wanted to do and not what God wanted her to do. I laugh because I do it too. No I don't wait for God to speak to me through the radio, but I would pray for something and wonder why God wouldn't answer me. Then I would talk to my mom and she would say have you gotten into God's word and listened to Him? Well no, I didn't think of that. Can't I just do it the easy way? Wait and wait and get frustrated and then just make up my own mind for God since he was otherwise occupied?

LOL, The easy way sure is hard. I don't know why I would fight against Him. He mapped it out so easily. Gave us His son to make our way to Him. Gave us prayer so we could have direct communication with Him. And gave us His word so that way we could have a manual on how to live. I guess I must have too much testosterone in me because I don't like reading directions either.  But I have learned a lot in the last couple of years. The biggest lesson is that listening to God is a lot easier when you are on your knees.

I don't mean on your knees literally, although it doesn't hurt. I mean at your lowest, completely giving up and looking know where else. When things are so out of your control that you don't know where to turn and you finally turn to God and say, I give up Lord you are going to have to handle it. The question is not why do we feel this way when the chips are down, the question is why don't we stay this way? When things are starting to look back up, we tend to say thank you God, I have it under control now. Can you say control freak?

I just have to say though that when we do turn our wills completely over to God and listen, beautiful things happen. I saw a 70 year old woman get baptized today, who was listening to God's voice tell her it was time. She had been walking God's path for 50 years and God say that now was the time to do it. Well I guarantee there were few dry eyes in that room after that, and God used that moment to bless many but I guarantee to reach at least one if not more. I have also been blessed enough to be in the presence of many friends that have gone from skeptic about church and God to accepting Christ or taking that first scary step to walk into a church alone. God is moving and working every minute of the day. He is communicating with you and me right now. Are we listening? Or are we too busy living our good lives. Are we too busy making our homes that perfect private sanctuary for us, or do we take in account that God might have given us this place to use as a tool to witness to others. Our house, our cars, our lives are built specifically in mind for God's glory, are we using them that way? These are just some of the thoughts I ponder and I wonder if anyone else thinks about this too? Where is God leading you? What has He given you to use for his glory?