Listening More Closely by Lisa Burkhardt Worley

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it (Isaiah 30:21 NIV).

I don’t always get it right, in particular, when it comes to hearing God’s voice. There have been a few times where the Holy Spirit spoke audibly to me and there was no doubt God was speaking. There have been other times where circumstances pointed me in the correct direction. This week I learned that I was chosen to attend an antisemitism institute at Oxford in August. It took securing recommendations, sending the group my bio and a cover letter. Those teaching at the institute are some of the leading thought leaders on fighting antisemitism and I know this will help me in my quest to fight this hatred. However, even though I wanted to attend the Oxford gathering, I held onto the dream loosely and prayed, “If it is your will that I go, I pray I will be accepted.” I was, and because of that I felt like God gave me the green light to go.

But there are times when I pray about something and I don’t receive a clear-cut understanding of what God wants me to do. I don’t hear His voice. Maybe there’s not peace in my spirit, but I don’t understand why. That’s when we need to fast and press in even deeper into prayer.

I believe God still speaks, but sometimes we have to listen more closely. It is my experience that moving forward when it is not God’s will can produce less than optimum results.

I was prophesied over recently, and the prophetic man said as he spoke on behalf of God, “Daughter, you are going to receive many offers, but you have to come back to me to know if you are to accept them or not.” That resonated with me, so I have been praying more fervently and listening more closely, but I am still guilty of proceeding if I have not received a definitive no. I am beginning to believe God’s silence means either no, not now, or wait.

What answers do you need right now? Could it be time to listen more closely? The Lord is faithful to direct our paths.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV).