God is speaking. Are you listening?

God is speaking. Are you listening? You should be. God's words are positive and powerful, exactly what we need. God wants to speak to us, and He has much to say. He speaks words of encouragement and love to us. He speaks words of direction and wisdom to us. He speaks words of correction and instruction to us. He speaks healing and deliverance to us. God is speaking but much of the time we can't hear Him because we're too hurried or too worried.

In this fast paced life we live, it seems there is never a moment to stop and just listen. Life keeps us busy from dawn to dusk, consumed with the to-do list. While we feel like we're making progress we often exchange the power of God speaking into our lives for the pleasure of a completed list. We exchange a changed life for a busy life. God is speaking to us but we don't hear very well when we fly through the day at break neck speed. Being too busy to stop and just listen is like stuffing cotton in one of your ears - you're just not going to hear clearly.

Being consumed with worry is like stuffing cotton in the other ear. We're all familiar with the physical and emotional hazards of stress and yet the most dangerous thing worry does is keep you from connecting with God. God lives in the land of faith where worry is not welcome. He speaks words of faith; words that worry cannot receive. God is speaking but if your mind is stressed you won't hear what He has to say.

What a shame! The creator of Heaven and Earth wants to speak the miraculous into our lives but our ears are full of cotton. His words of healing muffled out by the next item on the list. His words of direction drowned out by the noise of our worries. Stop what you're doing and take the time to listen. Don't talk, just listen. Put your cares in His hands and listen for His voice. He created the Heavens and the Earth with His words, I wonder what He wants to speak into your life.

Planting The Seed of Faith

Look out over the fields of your life. Are they barren? Are your fields of finance barren? Are your fields of health barren? Are the fields of your relationships barren? You might think you need an avalanche of blessings but all you need is a seed. Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20. 

Is it possible that the power we need is right in our hands? Could it be as simple as a seed? In a word, yes. If you don't like your current situation you can plant a new one. A seed of faith is a vision of the outcome you desire. Too often we pay attention to our problems, focusing on them until we can see no good outcome. Our faith is pointed in a disastrous direction and we get what we expect, but if we plant a new vision of a good outcome we have a new and good place to point our faith. 

  

I'm not talking about an easy or quick fix. Planting a seed of faith can be hard.  It takes work to deny all of the negative signs and discouraging words from others and grab onto faith in a good outcome, but without faith we cannot change our situation or move the hand of God. God sees us in our need and cares deeply about us, but God does not act on our behalf without faith. In other words, God won't change things just because He feels sorry for you. If you want to move the hand of God you must have faith.  But how much faith?

I once thought that the mustard seed parable taught that if we would just believe a tiny bit we could move mountains, but deeper search of the scriptures led me to another mustard seed reference. “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches." Matthew 13:31. Having a tiny bit if faith is not the point. It's not what the seed is, it's what it has the potential to become. When planted, protected, watered and fed, the seed of faith becomes so great that mountains can be moved. It doesn't stay a seed it grows and grows until it destroys all doubt, and the seed you planted becomes your harvest. 

So, if all you can see is devastation and disaster ahead plant a new seed. Get a new vision. If your sick get a vision of you healthy and whole. If your unemployed get a vision of you in the career you've always wanted. If your marriage is on the rocks get a vision of a healthy, vibrant marriage. See the vision clearly, so clearly that you can describe it in great detail. Now point your thoughts, words and prayers toward that vision. No matter what the circumstances hold onto that vision of faith. It may be just a seed today but it will grow and grow until it becomes great enough to move your mountain and change your situation. 
Happy Planting!