Today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers addresses something that comes up in counseling quite often! The question is how to really hear from God! The answer is found here:
Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do? —Genesis 18:17
Its Delights. This chapter brings out the delight of real friendship with God as compared with occasional feelings of His presence in prayer. To be so much in contact with God that you never need to ask Him to show you His will, is to be nearing the final stage of your discipline in the life of faith. When you are rightly related to God, it is a life of freedom and liberty and delight, you are God’s will, and all your common-sense decisions are His will for you unless He checks. You decide things in perfect delightful friendship with God, knowing that if your decisions are wrong He will always check; when He checks, stop at once.
Its Difficulties. Why did Abraham stop praying when he did? He was not intimate enough yet to go boldly on until God granted his desire, there was something yet to be desired in his relationship to God. Whenever we stop short in prayer and say – "Well, I don’t know; perhaps it is not God’s will," there is still another stage to go. We are not so intimately acquainted with God as Jesus was, and as He wants us to be – "That they may be one even as we are one."(John 17:21) Think of the last thing you prayed about – were you devoted to your desire or to God? Determined to get some gift of the Spirit or to get at God? "Your Heavenly Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask Him."(Matthew 6:8) The point of asking is that you may get to know God better. "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart."(Psalm 37:4) Keep praying in order to get a perfect understanding of God Himself.
I want to note that "rightly related" in the first paragraph SHOULD say "in right fellowship" because once we are born again, we ARE in "right relationship" with Him, and NOTHING can remove us or change that relationship! We decide every day, however, how intimate our fellowship with Him will be! We can each know HIM just as much and as intimately as WE choose! He will not force Himself on us, but He is EVER ready to meet with us in fellowship at any and all times! SO, the CHOICE is MINE! And YOURS! AMEN! Let's join Paul, in Philippians 3:10 (AMP) and get to REALLY know Him! THAT fellowship is PRICELESS! HALLELUJAH! Here is Hillsong with "I Surrender":
Shalom in Him!
