When the Almighty Speaks

I went to the Beth Moore Living Proof  Live conference in Mobile two weeks ago.  It turned out to be a Burning Bush experience that has reshaped my life.

Interestingly enough, I wasn’t all that thrilled about going beforehand. Nate asked me the morning of if I was excited about it:

“Umm… I guess so. But honestly I have so much to do with work and this website deadline, not to mention all the stuff here at home, I’m not giddy with excitement the way I usually would be.”

I was so distracted by everything that needed doing, I was in no hurry to slow down and hear from the Lord.

If I had known then that God was going to speak TO ME about MY LIFE, there might have been some pep in my step to get out the door. But attempting to get as much done before I left as possible, I didn’t even pack until 30 minutes before time to leave!

(As evidenced by the fact I couldn’t find a grown up bag to put my clothes in. I had to borrow Anna Beth’s pink “Going to Grandma’s” luggage. I stuffed my things in with 4 minutes to spare. Katrina captured my cool-ness on the way in to the hotel.)

Within minutes of walking into the areana, however, I knew that being there was no happy accident. God began to impress Himself on my soul before the worship even began. It was weighty feeling that He was present and that I was in for a confrontation.

I remember getting very still and quiet as others chattered around me waiting for the conference to start. I was so aware of His presence. And if you’ve ever been hyper-aware of His presence, you know there is one response; heart humbled, wholly submitted, waiting eagerly on any word from His mouth.

He did not disappoint.

The next two days were an absolute downpour. Words flowed from His heart to mine and I couldn’t decide whether to write it all down or sit perfectly still for fear of missing something!

There have been times in my life that I’ve wondered if what I was hearing was from God, or simply the voices in my own head. THIS WAS NOT THAT. There was no room for doubt. He was beautifully clear and absolutely authoritative.

So…I cried. I wrote. I repented. I submitted. I marveled at a God who would care so much about me. It was astounding and I’m still very much in awe of it.

There is so much to tell you. JUST SO MANY THINGS. Because when the Lord speaks it’s usually not so you can keep it to yourself. Pray for me as I write the next few posts with what He taught me!

But for now…this: When you have the opportunity to hear from the Almighty, take it! We say we want to live in deep connection with God, to hear him speak and have a close relationship with Him. But how often are we running to the places and times that afford that opportunity? And how often are we saying no to those times because our lives are overbooked and we think the demands are too demanding? I was guilty of it just days before that weekend. So guilty of it I almost backed out of going.

But looking back I can promise you this: Not one thing I “needed” to do compares to what I experienced and the change it’s brought in my life. Simply put: The things we think we have to do are trash compared to hearing the Almighty speak.

Can He speak to us in the car? You bet. While we’re washing dishes and folding clothes, absolutely. I think it’s vital we learn to “Practice the Presence of God” (Brother Lawrence…look it up) in our every day lives.

But I’ve been walking with Jesus for almost 30 years, and I’ve seen a pattern that others testify to as well. God very often chooses to speak when we set aside tasks in favor of being with Him. It’s as if He blesses the fact that we gave up our to do lists and sleeping in and lazy weekends and needy needs in order to hear from Him. He takes our simple act of choosing Him over the other, and blows us away with what He has to tell us.

If you’ve hit a spiritual plateau, if it’s been a while since you’ve heard Him speak, if you know you need to hear from Him, do something drastic and find a way to set everything aside in favor of being with Him. Get up early and read and pray. Find a women’s Bible study and go to it. Attend a conference. Plan a one day personal retreat. Run to a time and place where other things are off the table and He has your full attention.

You can take this one to the bank, ladies: You will not be sorry. No one who has set aside time to listen to God has ever looked back and said, “Wish I had spent my time doing something else.” Au contraire. You’ll be looking for an opportunity to do more of the same. Once you get that taste of Burning Bush in your mouth, you can’t get enough.

So go listen to the Almighty Speak. And let me know what He says!!!