Are You Listening?

ARE You TUNED IN to God’s voice?

I stepped outside this morning, as I often do, to feel the warmth of the sun. I like how specifically rich the morning sunlight is as it mixes with the crisp, cool air of a new day. I took the meandering steps down, stopping briefly to look at the small, pink blooms on the trees.

This morning was different from some of my recent mornings outside. I turned down my own shouting thoughts, my own competing whims, my worries & what ifs, & I tuned in to all that God has set before me in nature. I veered from my predictable, routine path & stepped into the little patch of grass framed with bushes & lantana & fuschia-colored daisies. I felt the soft grass beneath my feet & soaked in its sweet, dewy aroma. My mind & feet were in the same place for once. Stretch beyond your routine to experience wonder. For me it was experiencing another part of the yard. For you it might be taking a different route to work, ordering a different coffee, or planning an interesting outing after work when you typically go straight home. I am working on taking my own advice!

Down I went to the grass clearing, a bowl of green flanked by trees. The air near the orange trees was sweet, pure, & aromatic. Everything was alive. I felt joy. I listened to the birds, their song more prominent than yesterday. I could hear cars in the distance, the woodpecker in the tree. So many mundane sounds come into focus when you tune in. The mundane can bring profound joy when you savor the simplicity of it all, when you revel in the present & delight yourself in the place that God has set you.

I prayed this morning for fresh hope & God have me hope plus joy as I rooted myself in the present & sought the beauty teeming in the nature around me. Expect answers to prayers. Seek God in everything & He will be found everywhere. God wants you to experience a rich & satisfying life as you seek Him to be your source of hope, strength, & everything else.

Are you tuned in to the beauty that God created all around you? In discovering how disconnected I can sometimes be from the sounds around me, I was able to reflect: Am I tuned in to God’s voice? Am I listening? Am I getting quiet so that I can hear all that He is speaking to me?

Try emptying yourself before prayer. Get your mind quiet & prepare yourself to receive God’s direction, peace, & comfort. Let God lead you through your time of prayer. As you pour out in prayer, allow God to pour into you. Still yourself & listen. Tune in to what God is saying. Savor His presence & enjoy the renewal that it brings. Meditate on His Word & weave it into the tapestry of your life.

If you’re walking through a season of loneliness, invite God into your everyday moments - your morning walk, your lunchtime, your quiet evening. Get a cup of coffee or tea & just soak in His presence. God is with you when nobody else is. He is with you as you stand in the sun, drink in the smell of the flowers, lavish in the warm breeze, taste your morning coffee, nestle into your bed at night. Tune in to His voice & settle into His presence. Look for the beauty that surrounds you & hear God speaking to you.