L2G: Is God Really Communicating with Me?

I chose to still myself and listen for a Word from God about a week ago. After praying through the Listening to God Guidelines, and asking God to speak, below is what I jotted down:

“I Am for you My mighty warrior … do not forget that it is I who chose you to belong to Me and not visa versa … and that I have gone before you and will empower and use you in the lives of My people as it pleases Me. Go in strength that you have! I will work and no one will be able to prevent it!”

How do I know this is really You?

Our doubtfulness that the holy God of the universe would actually communicate with us is not a phenomenon reserved for the 21st century Christian. Abraham struggled with it in Genesis 17:17 when he “fell facedown; laughed and said to himself, ‘Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?’ And Abraham said to God, ‘If only Ishmael might live under Your blessing!’”

After preparing the way for the Messiah by baptizing thousands, John the Baptist doubted He had really heard from God in Matthew 11:2-3.

Then there was Gideon in Judges 6:12-17: The angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O valiant warrior.”

Then Gideon responded, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles that our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”

The Lord looked at Gideon and said, “Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?” Feeling insecure Gideon reasoned with God, “O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father’s house.”

The Lord encouraged Gideon when He said, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man.”

Gideon’s skepticism lingered as he said, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who is speaking with me.”

In spite of the fact that “the angel of the Lord” physically appeared to Gideon (which in and of itself would seem to be enough confirmation that God was communicating with this timid but mighty man of valor), Gideon wanted a sign that what he heard was really from God.

When you dedicate time to listen to God, do you struggle with doubts that God is communicating with you? I sometimes do. I’d love to hear what your experiences of listening to God are like. Drop a line to: L2G.Forum@gmail.com