Intimacy is key in any relationship.
And a believer’s relationship with Almighty God is no different.
Time spent with Him is time spent growing with Him and in Him as His child. Learning His character. Learning His ways. Learning to know the difference between His voice and the voice of others.
When trials come, our walk with God can often be affected negatively.
We can blame God for not stepping in.
We can be hurt by a fellow believer or a Christian leader and step back from our faith because of the hurt.
We can have loss in our life or the life of a loved one.
Bad things can happen at our church, and we step away from fellowshipping with other believers.
There are many reasons why trials come but come they will.
My hope today is to bring keys to help through the pain of trail and to keep the believer’s relationship with Jesus Christ intact, hearing His voice, and even flourishing in the midst of the trial.
1/ Hearing God’s voice through His word; the Bible
There was a time almost a couple of years ago that I came under extreme judgement and persecution from within the church.
I was truly shocked as I had done nothing wrong. With God as my witness, I had broken none of His laws and did nothing contrary to His character.
I felt betrayed, misunderstood, misrepresented and was thoroughly discouraged by the behaviour of those I thought to be close friends and colleagues.
How did I hear God’s voice in this time of trial?
By reading the Bible.
I read, and read, and read.
I listened to the Bible.
I listened, and listened, and listened.
I chose to trust that God’s Word is true.
And I clung tightly to it.
I didn’t read about the Bible.
I read the Bible.
I didn’t listen to other people’s thoughts about the Bible.
I listened to the Bible.
I needed God Himself to minister to me through His Word.
Other people have some incredible thoughts and ideas on Scripture, but at this time…
I needed a direct line with God.
I didn’t want a second-hand revelation this time.
I needed God’s Word washing over me.
To bring solace. To bring healing. To bring direction. To bring hope.
And He was faithful to His Word.
The Bible remained a rock, a strong refuge, a place of safety.
I heard God’s voice through His Word, the Bible.
2/ Hearing God’s voice through other believers.
During some of my greatest trials, other believers have been God’s mouthpiece to me.
I have heard God’s voice through other Christians as they have prayerfully measured their words and spoken that which God put on their heart.
They were faithful in delivering the message ensuring that God’s word was more important than my feelings.
One gentleman in particular stands out to me. He spoke to me about the Sovereignty of God. I was in a very difficult season for me and he challenged me about God being in command and control even when things seem to go a different direction than I want or expect them to.
God’s plans cannot be derailed by human beings.
He will have His way. I need to listen and obey His words and work with Him.
It is such a freeing truth (Eph 1:11), but also brings a great responsibility in how we choose to outwork our faith in Jesus Christ.
This man’s obedience brought God’s word to me in the midst of my greatest trial.
3/ Hearing God’s voice in Forgiveness and Prayer.
Hearing God’s voice through following His commands.
I made a decision when we arrived in Alice Springs to read the Bible through at least once a year.
And I’ve discovered something:
God is not fair.
Romans 12:14 – 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
Luke 6:28 – 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
And He’s not overly interested in my comfort.
God doesn’t change with the popular opinions of influential people.
Neither does God leave room for my whining.
Of course the Psalms show us that it’s OK to whine, and complain. I would say it’s even healthy to do this in the right company.
But to set up camp at the base of Mt Misery is no place for God’s children.
So I choose to try to walk the path of forgiveness.
And I intentionally call it a path, because there are so many twists and turns. Pitfalls, swamps, low hanging branches, spider webs…
So many things to distract and put my eyes back on the unjust treatment of ME!
So, if I choose to hold a grudge against those who hurt me, I also choose by default that they will forever be my master.
Because I would become bitter. And I would spend all of my time thinking about them and the unjust treatment of my family at their hands.
So my aim is to forgive.
To be honest, I’m not there all of the time. There are times when my thoughts are not overly loving towards those who intend to cause me harm.
But to choose forgiveness is the only option if I want to live a life of freedom.
I can know Almighty God more intimately as I forgive because… well because He commands it (Mark 6:15) so I’m being obedient.
But also because I need His help to forgive so I am talking to God a lot.
As I talk to God I know this pleases Him.
I can’t help but think back to the garden of Eden when Adam and Eve would walk with God in the cool of the evening (Gen 3:8). God wants to be in relationship with His creation; us. And not a casual relationship which is week to week, or month to month. But daily, even moment by moment conversing with the Creator of heaven and earth.
As I forgive, and as I pray, I hear His voice in the midst of the trial.
Hearing God’s voice in the midst of trial through:
- The Bible
- Other believers
- Forgiveness
- Prayer
I pray that you find Christ in a more intimate way today.
And that you can walk in the freedom that you are designed to live as you hear God’s voice in the midst of your trials.
God bless you mightily.
Ben
