HE Speaks: 5 Actions for Hearing God

Guest Post by Rhoda Baty

During an impromptu Facebook conversation my friend said, “I wish I knew how to listen to what God is telling me.” I responded and later spent more time pondering that statement and the ways I ‘listen’. Here are a few of the ways:

Thinking positive thoughts instead of negative thoughts.

• Think about this, how often have positive thoughts left you afraid? How often have positive thoughts energized you and/or given you hope? Isaiah 26:3 -You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. God is a God of love, not fear.

Thinking out loud.

• Often I ask someone to help me figure out something and in speaking my thoughts out loud, I hear my answer. Romans 15:14 – I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another. When we think out loud, the Holy Spirit reminds us of what we have already learned. Talk it out with a friend or coach.

Speaking gratefulness.

• We have so much to be thankful for! I venture to say the poorest of the poor in America are so much better off than those in third world countries. How many times and what did you thank Him for today?  I Thessalonians 5:18 –“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” It’s God’s will.

Reading God’s Word.

• A lot of times we think we have to read so many chapters a day or for a certain amount of time. Who made that rule?  I have found that if I stop reading as soon as a verse jumps out at me, I am more successful at remembering it and applying it to my life. It doesn’t matter how much I read, what matters is what I have to ponder and live out for others to see. Ps. 63:1 –  O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you. We can’t recall what God said if we haven’t read it already.

Involvement in a daily or weekly book/Bible study group.

• We all have different gifts and strengths and can learn from each other. Ecc 4:9-10 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, her friend can help her up. But pity the woman who falls and has no one to help her up! We were made to be in fellowship with each other.

I believe we can ‘hear’ God everyday; we just need to hone our ‘listening’ skills.

Rhoda Baty is a Life Coach with “Hopeful Heart Coaching,”and works as a secretary at an alternative high school.

Rhoda lives in Snohomish, WA, about 30 miles north of Seattle, with her pastor husband of 37 ‘never a dull moment’ years, two daughter’s/son’s-in-law and her 7 grandchildren. You can learn more about Rhoda at www.lifecoachingwithrhoda.com.