Saturday, September 20, 2008

God's Voice

I love visiting Edie’s blog and on fridays she comes up with a question that gets your thinker work'in known as the…The Random Question. So, this week her question is…“How do you recognize when God speaks to you?”
She also asked us to tell about a specific time when you heard Him, two very good questions.

I heard God's voice shortly after I had rededicated my life to Him in my early 30’s. Even though I was raised knowing God, I really didn’t KNOW God. So, after many years of going through life and calling on Him only when I needed my desires filled, I was now ready to start hearing His desires.

The first time I heard the voice of God was on a cold fall night not to long after I had surrender my life to Christ. I decided to sleep in the spare bedroom because I had developed a bad cough from a cold that I just couldn’t seem to shake, I figured that way I wouldn’t be keeping my husband up all night and at least one of us would get a good night sleep.

I have to admit at the time I was a little scared of sleeping alone, even though he was just across the hall from where I was. So there I laid with the covers pull up to my chin, my head propped on two pillows with my eyes tightly shut determined to make this work. It seemed like hours as I laid there trying to fall a sleep, which I’m sure was only minutes,when I remembered my mom telling if ever I was afraid to just pray. As I started to pray I began to thank God for all the wonderful things He had given me and how He had protected me during my time of…life is about me syndrome. But some how I went from thanksgiving to questions of doubt. I started asking Him “Why is it so hard to believe?" “Why don’t you speak to us now...today?” “You spoke back in the days of Noah or what about Moses, You sent him a burning bush plus on top of that you spoke to him.” " Could You maybe, give me a little sign of something?"
I think at this point I was getting a little frustrated so I just stopped talking when all of a sudden I heard “Tammy.” Thinking it was my husband, I answered back but with no response. So, I got out of bed and went across the hall, opened the bedroom door only to find him sound to sleep.

I immediately ran back to bed with thoughts of we must have a ghost in the house and began to sing hymns I knew as a child, hoping to chase the ghost away until I finally fell a sleep. The next morning when I got up I went out to the kitchen to have my morning coffee and as I was sitting there thinking about moving from this haunted apartment, my husband came out to join me. Noticing that something was troubling me he asked “What’s wrong with you, you seem upset.” I told him about the whole experience from the night before insisting that we needed to move but when I was done he simply said “Well, you did ask God for proof, didn’t you?” I replied with a surprised look on my face“Yes, do you really think that He spoke to me?” He shook his head,yes and laughing he said..."Did you want Him to hit you over the head with a baseball bat?”

It has been almost 20 years since the first time I heard the voice of God.

Yes, He has spoken to me and continues to speak to me not like He did that night in an audible voice but through His Word, through people and life experiences. Whether my heart is troubled or I'm seeking to know what His plans are for my life, He speaks. There are times when I try to avoid the truth and in those times His voice is like a whisper to my heart. I think it's easier for Him to get my attention that way...but I never get tired of hearing His Voice.

4 comments:

Edie said...

Hi Tammy! Thanks so much for joining us in the RQ. I'm glad you're enjoying them. I love this. I have never heard Him speak audibly before but I know others that have also had that experience. Just think, one day we will all hear Him audibly. How awesome is that!?

Kelly said...

I love this! Isn't God amazing.

Your story reminded me of Samuel, when he heard God he went and woke up...the guy (what was his name?).."Did you call me?" Just like you with your husband.

God is the same, yesterday, today, tomorrow. Thanks for sharing.

Leaon Mary said...

Hi Tammy R,
It's really nice to meet you!
I really enjoyed reading how God spoke to you...
It's really nice to talk to people who understand... and know that He really does. Sometimes when I'm talking and mention around others that God said this or told me to do that they look at me like I'm pschitzo?-- but they just haven't experienced God and have never asked Him into their heart because he DOES speak to us....
thank God!
I'm so happy to know you and will be back to read more.
Blessings to you SWEET SISTER,
Lea

Solomon Williams said...

Hello guys, My name is Solomon. I am just an average guy but must tell you that I've heard the voice of God many times over the course of this year.

For me, his voice became very loud as I was going through my divorce.
It all started October 2007, the night my vehicle broke down and I had to push it about 50ft under a light-post. I got back inside my truck, put my head down, and said to God, “It’ll be good if someone was out here with me”. That simple. And I promise you, when I lifted my eyes, the VERY EXACT spot I rolled my truck from, there was now a car sitting there broken down as well. And at this time of night, only 1 car every 10 minutes or so came by, so to even think about one breaking down is insane. To make a long story short, the guy didn’t even work on his car the entire time, he just sat there. And when asked how long he was going to be there he told me “For as long as you are here”. The story gets much deeper.

My wife at the time, then separated, arrived to take me to the nearest autopart store to get a battery. Once I got the battery, the guy behind the counter gave me some tools to change the battery out. He also insisted that I come back that night because my vehicle still should not have turned off while driving. After changing my battery, I did as he said. But this time there was a long line ahead of me and i kept insisting to him it was ok and I'll get it checked in the morning. He would not let me leave!! And even during this time, a heavy rain began to pour! He then came from behind the counter, told me to pull my truck up on the walkway, and that's when God's voice spoke again.

It was then God used the man behind the counter as another messenger. I didnt tell autoguy i was going through a divorce or nothing of the sort but he started talking about how he had been married for the 2nd time; not to mention he too was married for 7yrs just as I. I asked him was it hard to move on and he said yes but in the end, everything is so much better for him and he now feels complete! It was one amazing night.

And today, one year later, I've been in church for the first time consistently for an entire year(twice a week). It's awesome because I wouldnt miss it for anything in the world. I also wouldnt take back my storm for nothing in the world. I've learned to completly Trust God. And Believe! Because He's Real! Take it from an average guy like me.

-solomon