I’ve had moments lately where it felt like God isn’t listening to me. My response (and I think some of you might react the same) was that “that was silly and surely God was listening.” To be sure, I decided to look in the Bible to see if I could find any scriptures about God not listening for some reason and I found a couple right off the bat.
There is a psalm which reads:
18 If I had harbored sin in my heart,
the sovereign Master would not have listened.
If I regard wickedness in my heart,
The Lord will not hear (NASB).
This made me start to look inward to see if I had any “wickedness” in my heart or if I had any sins I was hiding away in my heart that I needed to confess to the Lord so he could hear my prayers.
Another verse is even more specific:
“Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me, 29 Because they hated knowledge, And did not choose the fear of the Lord.”
It says that those who”hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord” would call on Him but He would not answer. I do not ever want to be the reason God can’t hear my prayers or answer me. He is sovereign so if He chooses to be silent sometimes so that I might focus on Him more or so that I might turn down the noise that can sometimes be my life in order to hear Him… that would be for my good…. which is always His goal…. so I will leave that up to Him.
I continued to search my heart because anyone who would continue in sin does not fear the Lord and surely those who continue in sin do not Love His knowledge.
Those moments when I thought God isn’t listening to me… were all about me.
I took a trip to target recently to get a few essentials (Here in Louisiana that means a King Cake) and maybe clear my head. I turned on the radio. God uses the radio a lot to bring me peace or a little perspective. As I am pulling into my parking spot at Target a song came on that I had never heard. I recognized the singer’s name and knew I Loved all her other songs so I sat in my car and listened. Lauren Daigle – “First” – WOW! It was just what I needed to hear…it was what I hadn’t been doing! It was WHY my day had been so out of wack…. because my priorities were out of wack!
Take a listen and/or read the lyrics at the end of the blog:
When I heard this song…sitting in my car in the Target parking lot… I had to “lift my arms.” It was everything I hadn’t been doing. I was putting myself first… I was rude to my husband… I was angry with God because my prayers weren’t being answered… I was doing all the wrong things if I wanted to have God’s ear.
He has to be first.
Him… not what He can do.
Tweet ThisGod wants us to delight in Him first so He can give us the desires of our hearts.
Psalm 37:4
4 Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
I’ve been thinking a lot about my calling lately too and I’m starting to wonder if we make things more complicated then they need to be…
Mark 3:14
And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach,
Maybe our calling as His disciples is simply to “be with Him” and He will send us out to preach/minister.
Be With Him and He will…..
Put you in the right job
Guide you to the right house to purchase
Lead you to the strangers in the store who need to hear about Jesus
Help you be a mother/father
…. the list could go on forever.
Pray with me:
Jesus we thank You for who You are…we thank You for Your patience with us and for Your grace and mercy. We want to know You and to just be with You… help us to do that daily. Help us to seek Your face before Your favor and Your heart before your Help… Forgive us of any sin we have hidden away in our hearts… we want to be like You. AMEN!
First Lauren Daigle from the album How Can It Be
Before I bring my need
I will bring my heart
Before I lift my cares
I will lift my arms
I wanna know You
I wanna find You
In every season
In every moment
Before I bring my need
I will bring my heart
And seek You
(chorus)
First
I want to seek You
I want to seek You
First
I want to keep You
I want to keep You
First
More than anything I want, I want You
First
Before I speak a word
Let me hear Your voice
And in the midst of pain
Let me feel Your joy
I wanna know You
I wanna find You
In every season
In every moment
Before I speak a word
I will bring my heart
And seek You
(chorus)
First
I want to seek You
I want to seek You
First
I want to keep You
I want to keep You
First
More than anything I want, I want You
First
(bridge)
You are my treasure and my reward
Let nothing ever come before
You are my treasure and my reward
Let nothing ever come before
I seek You
(chorus)
First
First
I want to seek You
I want to seek You
First
I want to keep You
I want to keep You
First
More than anything I want, I want You
First
First
Song info:
Publishing: © 2014 CentricSongs (SESAC) / Sony ATV Timber Publishing (SESAC) / Sony ATV Timber Publishing & Open Hands Music (SESAC) / Sony/ATV Tree Publishing & Upside Down Under (BMI) / Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing & Bentley Street Songs (ASCAP)
Writer(s): Words and Music by Lauren Daigle, Paul Mabury, Jason Ingram, Mia Fieldes and Hank Bentley