Why Can't I hear God?

Ashley Thaba | Monday June 10, 2019 13:49

Let me start by saying this is a hard question to answer because when answering questions like this, sometimes people can feel a hint of judgement or condemnation. Please let me tell you from the bottom of my heart, that my intention in writing this column is to help you come to know God personally and experience the abundant life I know He desires to give you.

We don’t hear God if we don’t know God. 1 Corinthians 2: 11,12,14 “For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.  What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.”

The Bible is clear that God speaks to us through His Spirit. The Bible is also clear to have the Spirit living in us, we need to have “vacated the premises”. There can either be SELF or GOD – but not both. The Bible says He comes to live in the one who believes he is separated from God by sin and believes that belief in and surrender to Jesus can restore the relationship. Then the person says, “Okay, let me get out of the driving seat and you take over. Direct me as you please. I am trusting you to be in charge of my life.” When the Spirit comes in, we begin to know the thoughts and words of God as the verse above explains.

Let me be clear above when I am talking about the Spirit speaking, I am not talking about speaking in tongues. I am talking about that still small voice that is a constant guide reminding you and lighting your path, convicting you when you stray, and comforting you when you need a counsellor. In order to hear this voice, the Bible says over and over, you must be STILL. So the second reason we don’t hear God – WE ARE TOO BUSY!! It is HARD to stop and listen to God. It requires us to read His word and really think about what we are reading and really ask God to speak through His word. It requires us to stop and listen – willing to do WHATEVER HE SAYS. That kind of absolute surrender is the place God speaks but it is a daily struggle for each one of us.

If you want to get STILL and QUIET – read these verses and ask God what He is saying to you. Psalms 46:10, Psalms 62:5-6, 1 Kings 19:11-13, Isaiah 30:21

Our sin blocks the communication channels. Isaiah 59:1-2 says, “Listen! The LORD’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear. It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.”

When we sin, we are not looking nor listening to God. We are saying “I will do what I want to do.” Even when we feel that little nudge in us, that quiet voice saying “you know you shouldn’t do that… you know you NEED to do that… you know you should be in church this morning… you know you shouldn’t be sleeping with this person… you know you shouldn’t accept that bribe… SO MANY NUDGES and we ignore. He says you are building barriers.

Imagine an adult talking and a little child with their fingers in their ears singing LALALALA at the top of their lungs saying “I CAN”T HEAR YOU!” Picture that image next time you realize that you are cutting off communication by ignoring God’s counsel. Remember we are either letting HIM be on the throne or US – but we can’t both be in charge. Only one Lord can reign.

We don’t hear God’s voice because we don’t know God’s word. My husband and I share everything, including our phones. Sometimes when we are driving, he will hand me his phone and tell me to text someone. Many times IF the person really KNOWS us, the person will say “This is Ashley!! I can tell by the way you are writing!” When you know someone and the way they write and talk, you are able to pick up when it is THEIR WORDS and when it is NOT their words. God has given us His word in the Bible.

We should read the Bible, meditate on it, memorize it, cherish it, analyze it, and obey it. The more you study it, the more you will recognize the voice in your head as God’s voice to differentiate between the other voices we hear. Psalms 119:105

As an additional resource if you would like to read the Bible but are unsure exactly how and where to start, I wrote a very detailed book called Dive In which explains and answers most every question about how to read the Bible, practically walking you through every single book and verse by verse. You can buy that book for P100 at Exclusive Books or many other places around the country. Contact me if you want it.

Contact:  HYPERLINK “mailto:askthaba@gmail.com” askthaba@gmail.com or Facebook page: Mom to Mom: Parenting Consultations.

Ashley Thaba is a popular motivational speaker and life coach. She is the author of the well-known books, Dive In and Conquering the Giants. She also facilitates corporate team building and wellness activities. You can view some of her work on her YouTube channel: Ashley Thaba