Anticipation

Sometimes I get discouraged, wondering why it seems that God never speaks to me. I am here. I haven't gone anywhere. Where is God? This is even more troubling as I see God working in the lives of people all around me. Why should I not get to hear his voice? Why is it that I am not seeing miracles?

Some would say that the difference is a lack of faith. I think that this may be part of it, but I am not ready to concede that it is all. I know that there are times when God does something we do not pray for or desire. He is God. He is sovereign. He is not bound by our wishes regardless of our level of faith. God is God and will be God no matter what.

I believe, rather, that the single greatest factor in hearing God's voice, or seeing God's hand, is in anticipating it.

• We should expect God to speak and work in our lives. I believe that miracles will not happen unless we are expecting them to. God will not burst in on us and do things that we do not expect. If he did, God would be a bully, pushing in where he is not wanted or welcomed.
• We should anticipate God speaking and working in our lives. When we anticipate, or look forward to God doing something it is more likely that he will, and more likely that we will be prepared for it.
• We should pray and ask God to speak and work in our lives. If we do not ask for the presence of God, we can be pretty sure that we will not have the presence of God.

The people who are always hearing God are the ones who are listening for him and believing that he will speak. I do not believe that they are more faithful, or that God speaks to them more than to the rest of us. I do believe, however, that they are more prepared to hear.

It is time for you and I to anticipate, expect and pray for the miraculous, the work of God. Now and always.