Sometimes you have to quit some things to begin something better.
In 2006, two years into my new life of living without alcohol and seeking God, I still had a lot of questions. By then, I had learned some things about myself and about my perspective of God. So through prayer and seeking, I was prompted by God to “put everything on the back burner and get to know him better.” The first thing I did was tell my wife what I had felt I heard. Next, I prayed and told God that I thought I heard him and was willing to do whatever it was he wanted me to do. But I needed direction.
As I continued to pray, many things came to mind and other things just started to happen. We started attending a Wednesday night church class and a Sunday morning class before the actual church service. I attended a men’s study about God and His word. Chris and I started intentionally meeting with other couples and learning all we could about “how to get to know God better.” Coincidentally, during this time, a man came to me to talk about what a mentor is and that I should consider finding one. I decided that I needed to spend more time in the Bible, myself personally. I did find a mentor (it was the same man that came to me earlier) and we started meeting weekly on Thursdays.
Things I Quit
For Chris and I to add all these additional things to our lives, there were some other things that we had to quit doing for a time or a season. As I prayed for direction, I remember when I heard God specifically tell me to put the fishing on hold for a while. “But the fishing is so good for me, God!” And it was good for me. I heard Him say, “Work less and make time for me. Quit sitting around doing nothing and drive to do something.” We lived an hour’s drive from the church, so regardless of what we did and when, it was up early or home late.
Learning to Hear God
I have had a lot of people ask me, “How do you hear God?” First, let me clarify that His voice (for me anyway) is not like your voice or my voice. What I mean is, it is His voice in me, to me. But what I want to share with you is what my mentor showed me. He said, “Kyle, if your phone screen was broken and blacked out and it rang and you answered it and the person on the other side of the line said, ‘Hi Kyle,’ if it was your mom, would you have to say, ‘Who is this?’” I said no and he asked why.
I said, “Because I know my mom’s voice.” He said, “Why do you know your mom’s voice?” I said, “Because I grew up with her. She says she even talked to me before I was born. Lord knows she had to yell at me a lot as a child. I have spent years with her, so I know her voice.” He said, “Exactly, and the more time you spend with God, the better you will know His voice. One day, God will say, ‘Hey Kyle’ and you will respond with, ‘Yes, Lord?’ Just like you would respond ‘Yes, Mom?’ if your mom said, ‘Hey Kyle.’”
I Know His Voice
I am so thankful that when God said, “Kyle, I want you to put everything on the back burner and get to know me better,” that I listened and acted, even though back then I wasn’t even sure it was His voice. But today, thanks to my mentor, to many people and to God, I know His voice and when He calls, I say, “Yes, Lord?”
Because everything we do, everything we have been through, we could not have done it without the power and the strength of our God, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
What about you? Do you know His voice? What is He telling you to do today?
God bless!
