When God Speaks Do We Listen?

When God speaks we should be patient and listen to what He has to say to us. A few years ago during a youth summer camp they gave every camper a pamphlet that challenged them to answer three questions each day after their personal Scripture reading time. 1. What did God show me today from Scripture today? 2. What do you think He may invite me to do today? 3. What wisdom did I receive from a godly person today? Each question inspired them to think through how God was using them or talking to them while they were reading, but it also allowed for that valuable reflection time that many of us often do not spend time with. Personally when I read my Bible in the early morning, at lunch, or at night before going to bed I don’t often spend time reflecting on how God will use me or has been using me throughout that day. For our own faith to grow the simple actions of stopping and waiting for the Lord can allow us to truly follow after the Lord. Most days I find myself too quick wanting to find a solution or an answer to a problem before even consulting God in what I should be doing. Should I spend my money on this? Can I give money to a new charity? Am I supposed to provide support to someone who needs it? Every question we ask before God He will answer, but it comes down to us not liking the answer He may give that prevents us from either asking the question or listening to the reply before we step in to action. What happens when we take the time to pause and listen? During church my pastor told a story when he was starting out in ministry and received his check for the month. His needed to go buy a new suit, which he desperately needed, so that was his first task to accomplish with this recent influx of money. However, before he did anything he stopped and prayed for God to tell him how much he should give. The answer he got was much larger than the 10% tithe we all comfortably like giving and this alarmed him because he wasn’t going to be able to buy a new suit. Faithfully that Sunday he wrote the check, signed his name, and gave the amount that the Lord had told him. Monday night he hears a knock on his door and he opens the door to find a member of the church standing at his door that was sent to buy him a new suit. He hadn’t told anyone about his need for a new suit and pastor stood their a little shocked at the event as it unfolded. Even the man didn’t know why he was there other than the fact that the Lord had placed it on his heart to buy the pastor a new suit. > "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much." > **Luke 16:10** When God speaks and we listen He uses us to do amazing things that we never would have imagined. From the point of view of my pastor his own faith grew that day in knowing that when we are faithful with what God asks of us then He will bless us immensely. Are you listening?