{"id":2366,"date":"2018-07-05T20:55:04","date_gmt":"2018-07-05T20:55:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?p=2366"},"modified":"2018-07-05T20:56:53","modified_gmt":"2018-07-05T20:56:53","slug":"listening-for-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?p=2366","title":{"rendered":"Listening for God"},"content":{"rendered":"

Is. 57:11 Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear me? (NIV)
\nIs. 57:11 Did you forget about me and become unfaithful because you were more afraid of someone else? Have I been silent so long that you no longer fear me? (Contemporary English Version)<\/p>\n

This scripture seemed to stick in my mind this morning. It may be for more people than just me. Have you heard from God lately? Maybe we are too busy talking and asking for our requests. God is not our \u201cgenie\u201d. <\/p>\n

Is. 50:4b \u201cHe wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.\u201d (NIV)<\/p>\n

He gives the word to sustain the weary\u2026 \"sunset-field-poppy-sun-priroda\"<\/a>One word from God can energize your whole life. Keep your focus to listen and engage in a two way conversation. God actually likes questions and challenges when we want to know more about him and his plans for us and those we are praying for\u2026 He sees an eternal perspective and knows what\u2019s best for us.<\/p>\n

\u201cDear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.\u201d (I Peter 4:12-13 NIV)<\/p>\n

We need to learn to embrace our pain and not run from it because on the other side of that embrace is breakthrough and transformation. When life gets hard, we need to remember we are going through a refining with a glorious end around the corner. God is still on the job-we are in fact close to a huge breakthrough. The darkest hour is just before the dawn. Some things are coming to the surface in order to be cast off!<\/p>\n

God uses these difficulties to enlarge our thinking. A higher way opens up to those whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. When you have stood in the shoes of suffering, it is in order to comfort those with the comfort you received. You are helping others overcome their trials and gain God\u2019s strength. The word says we go from strength to strength till each appears before Zion. Surely you will be blessed when you follow Me, Jesus says, and you will do even greater things than I.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Is. 57:11 Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear me? (NIV) Is. 57:11 Did you forget about me and become unfaithful because you were more afraid of someone else? Have I been silent so long that you no longer fear me? (Contemporary English Version) This scripture seemed to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2366","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-featured","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2015,"url":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?p=2015","url_meta":{"origin":2366,"position":0},"title":"Word in Due Season","author":"hollysmith","date":"August 16, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God\u2019s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. If indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?cat=18"},"img":{"alt_text":"12080971_10206667323193578_105335597_n","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hollywsmith.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/12080971_10206667323193578_105335597_n-300x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1755,"url":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?p=1755","url_meta":{"origin":2366,"position":1},"title":"Sweet’NLow or Equal?","author":"hollysmith","date":"May 6, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"As my husband and I were preparing to leave on a trip to Israel, I awoke one morning, recalling a dream. I remembered hearing a booming voice ask a question: \u201cDo you want to be Sweet\u2019N\u2019Low or Equal?\u201d Little did I know, God was announcing his agenda for me for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?cat=18"},"img":{"alt_text":"b58450","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hollywsmith.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/b58450-173x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":9,"url":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?p=9","url_meta":{"origin":2366,"position":2},"title":"What did you go out in the desert to see?","author":"admin","date":"November 17, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"A reed swayed by the wind? (Luke 7:24 NIV) John the Baptist as a child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly in Israel. (Luke 1:80 NIV) Solitude with God in the desert was his school. He gained the lessons and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Lessons of the Desert"","block_context":{"text":"Lessons of the Desert","link":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1427,"url":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?p=1427","url_meta":{"origin":2366,"position":3},"title":"No One to Intervene","author":"hollysmith","date":"September 2, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"As I prepared to speak at a meeting one day last week, I thought to myself, I don\u2019t know how they\u2019ll accept or like my message. There may be a few facts of my testimony that are hard to fathom. Fear of rejection and failure tried to splash over me\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?cat=18"},"img":{"alt_text":"images-2","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hollywsmith.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/images-2.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1302,"url":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?p=1302","url_meta":{"origin":2366,"position":4},"title":"Holly’s Spotlight Interview","author":"Lisa Ramsey","date":"June 12, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Tuesday, 16 April 2013 with Phyllis Jenkins Publisher\/CEO, Powerful Journey Magazine PJ: How did you come up with the name The Cracked Pot? Holly:\u00a0I saw a cracked pot in a dream. I want to share a little of what was going on which led to this symbol in a dream.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "media"","block_context":{"text":"media","link":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/hollywsmith.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/hollyHeadShot_spotlightInterview1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2706,"url":"https:\/\/hollywsmith.com\/?p=2706","url_meta":{"origin":2366,"position":5},"title":"What Did You Go Out in the Desert to See?","author":"hollysmith","date":"July 1, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"What did you go out in the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? (Luke 7:24 NIV) As a child John the Baptist grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly in Israel. 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