A lot of Christians want to trust God, but find themselves unable to because they can't hear His thoughts and instructions.
Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church says Christians mistakenly assume that they hear nothing because God isn't talking to them. But the truth is, God is always talking to them, and they're the ones who can't hear Him.
"You don't hear God when your mind is filled with a thousand other distractions. To hear God, you've got to get near to God. You've got to get alone with God and be quiet," he says on his website.
The Bible verse Psalm 46:10 says just that: "Be still, and know that I am God." That means Christians need to "sit down and shut up," says Warren.
"That's how you hear God and get near to God. You have to sit alone and just be quiet with your Bible and say, 'God, is there anything you want to say to me?' You read God's Word, and you talk to him about what's on your heart," he explains.
If Christians aren't hearing God, they need to ask themselves how they normally react to God's direction in their lives. Then, they have to change the way they meet with the Lord so they can be quiet and becomes closer to Him.
Once Christians hear God's instructions, they have to be ready to obey what He directs them to do. "And, God says He will give you the wisdom you need to recognise his voice and follow through on what He says: 'It is the Lord who gives wisdom; from him come knowledge and understanding' (Proverbs 2:6 TEV)," says Warren.
For those who want to get rid of life's distractions and draw closer to God, Warren shares this prayer: "God, I want to listen to you, not the voices of doubt. I want to get close to you and get to know you better. I want to hear you, and I promise to then obey you. I want to be one of the people that you can use and bless."
