How do you hear God's voice? - part 3

Sixth point, don't be disappointed. You've been trying to listen to God for ages now. All your friends constantly get words from Ezekiel, dreams about Zion, visions of angels in their bedroom, and you get...nothing. The most important thing is not to be jealous. A while ago, a major shift in my life took place as I let go of things that had held me captive. It was like shedding an old skin. At the heart of it was disappointment with feeling outside of God's loop. This became jealousy when others were blessed and came out in frustration, scepticism, and even attempting to change my theology. The point is, sometimes the grass does seem greener on the other side. We need to remember that our own relationship with God is unique. God sees you differently to how he sees everyone else - uniquely. And you respond uniquely too. Different things make you tick. Trust is the key. If we believe God works everything for the good for those who love Him (it's in the Bible), then we don't need to think that our relationship is of a lower status. Also, remember that we are all insiders in His family. Jesus has taken care of that on the cross. His death and resurrection has put us in the loop! No matter what we feel.

Seventh, having said all that, it is important to remember there is always more. Yes, don't be jealous of other people's relationship with God. But don't shut yourself off from growth. Allow others to challenge you to pursue God more fervently. Encourage those feelings within you that desire more of God, as this is perfectly natural. On the one hand, God is a God of peace and fulfilment. On the other, He is a God of adventure and sacrifice. If we do not desire more of God, I suggest we have become distracted or set our sights too low. The point is that we want more of Him and His voice not because we're disappointed that He's not doing enough for us, but that we are so overwhelmed by a glimpse of Him that we are desperate for more. When faced with infinite and pure love, it is natural to be so satisfied. Yet it is also natural to want to go deeper.

I believe all these key things about relationship are intertwined with hearing God's voice. We're not talking here about casually asking God for His input in a decision. Nor are we suggesting having a nervous breakdown over trying to hear His voice. Nor anything in between these two extremes.