The Holy Spirit is talking. . . Are you Listening?
When I was in college I went on one of the worst dates of my life. I want to preface this by saying there was something about this guy that I wasn’t at peace about. It was like a knot in my stomach, but being that I was new to campus and I was just trying to meet people, I ignored the inward warning. When he came and asked me out I ignored the “yuck” and decided that one date wouldn’t hurt.
The warning signs to get out of this date were all over. When we got in the car and he began to drive to a coffee shop I remember looking at him and saying, “I just want to let you now I’m not opposed to opening this door and rolling out while the car is moving if you try anything.” What made me say that I don’t know, but the guy turned to me, laughed and said, “You’re not the first girl to tell me that.”
When we arrived at the coffee shop it didn’t take us long to begin the religion debate. I guess his mother kept trying to get him to become a Catholic priest because she thought that would be a quick ticket to heaven for her. I’m sure I don’t need to say that didn’t go over well with me. Then when he finally drove me back to my dorm. After the obvious crash and burn on the date, he kept trying to invite himself up to my dorm. I was like a fish refusing to catch the bait. I wouldn’t invite up. I flew out of that car so fast when he dropped me off, I hoped I didn’t slam the car door in his face and I really didn’t care if I did.
Fortunately I managed to avoid this gentleman for the most part after this horrible date. I found out later he was notorious in the department for dating women and forcing himself on them. I knew of one girl that had fought him off of her, and another girl she knew of that had dealt with him. I’m blessed from what I heard that I got out of that situation unharmed.
So often times in life the Holy Spirit tries to warn us, and talk to us about things and we ignore it. That “yuck” in my gut was the Holy Spirit trying to tell me that this guy wasn’t a good guy. I choose to ignore it. Often we think that when God speaks to us it has to be some big booming audible voice. Truthfully, rarely does God speak audibly to people. Most times God speaking comes in a knowing or a still small voice.
1Kings 19:11-13 talks about Elijah, “And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?”
Elijah was one of the most famous prophets of all time, and even for him God’s voice wasn’t in the earthquake or a fire, but in the still small voice.
We must learn to heed that still small voice. We must learn to pay attention to it and not to ignore it. God talks to people all the time. But sadly often people ignore him. There are countless stories I’ve heard of tragedies avoided because they listened to an inward knowing. People who avoided going to work on Sept 11 because of some reason or another, or people who chose to drive home a different way from work to only learn later that choice saved their lives. These things are not by accident or mere coincidence. It’s God speaking to people.
Pay attention to that inward voice. Listen to it, and heed it. I was blessed in my situation that even though I ignored it no real tragedy occurred, but sadly this isn’t always the case. God has a way of getting your attention. Please heed the still small voice. God knows your life from beginning to end and He’s trying to help you avoid tragedies down the road. Take the time to listen and trust Him. Trust and obey, for there is no other way! Be blessed, He loves you!
The warning signs to get out of this date were all over. When we got in the car and he began to drive to a coffee shop I remember looking at him and saying, “I just want to let you now I’m not opposed to opening this door and rolling out while the car is moving if you try anything.” What made me say that I don’t know, but the guy turned to me, laughed and said, “You’re not the first girl to tell me that.”
When we arrived at the coffee shop it didn’t take us long to begin the religion debate. I guess his mother kept trying to get him to become a Catholic priest because she thought that would be a quick ticket to heaven for her. I’m sure I don’t need to say that didn’t go over well with me. Then when he finally drove me back to my dorm. After the obvious crash and burn on the date, he kept trying to invite himself up to my dorm. I was like a fish refusing to catch the bait. I wouldn’t invite up. I flew out of that car so fast when he dropped me off, I hoped I didn’t slam the car door in his face and I really didn’t care if I did.
Fortunately I managed to avoid this gentleman for the most part after this horrible date. I found out later he was notorious in the department for dating women and forcing himself on them. I knew of one girl that had fought him off of her, and another girl she knew of that had dealt with him. I’m blessed from what I heard that I got out of that situation unharmed.
So often times in life the Holy Spirit tries to warn us, and talk to us about things and we ignore it. That “yuck” in my gut was the Holy Spirit trying to tell me that this guy wasn’t a good guy. I choose to ignore it. Often we think that when God speaks to us it has to be some big booming audible voice. Truthfully, rarely does God speak audibly to people. Most times God speaking comes in a knowing or a still small voice.
1Kings 19:11-13 talks about Elijah, “And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?”
Elijah was one of the most famous prophets of all time, and even for him God’s voice wasn’t in the earthquake or a fire, but in the still small voice.
We must learn to heed that still small voice. We must learn to pay attention to it and not to ignore it. God talks to people all the time. But sadly often people ignore him. There are countless stories I’ve heard of tragedies avoided because they listened to an inward knowing. People who avoided going to work on Sept 11 because of some reason or another, or people who chose to drive home a different way from work to only learn later that choice saved their lives. These things are not by accident or mere coincidence. It’s God speaking to people.
Pay attention to that inward voice. Listen to it, and heed it. I was blessed in my situation that even though I ignored it no real tragedy occurred, but sadly this isn’t always the case. God has a way of getting your attention. Please heed the still small voice. God knows your life from beginning to end and He’s trying to help you avoid tragedies down the road. Take the time to listen and trust Him. Trust and obey, for there is no other way! Be blessed, He loves you!
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