“You will search again for the Lord your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him.” Deuteronomy 4:29 (NLT)
The first step to hearing from God is really wanting it. You don’t see it as optional or just a nice idea—you see it as a necessity!
God doesn’t want to tell you his dream and vision for your life so you can debate and discuss it. He doesn’t want to tell you what he put you on earth to do just so you can say, “Let me think about it.”
You need to see it as a necessity. You have to say, “I’ve got to know why I’m here. I’ve got to know what you want me to do with my life. I’ve got to hear your voice. I’ve got to have your vision.”
King David wrote in the book of Psalms, “My God, I want to do what you want” (Psalm 40:8 NCV), and “What I want most and at all times is to honor your laws” (Psalm 119:20 CEV).
David passionately declared that what he wanted most of all was to honor God. Being obedient and following God were not options for him. In other parts of the Bible, David used phrases like, “I long for it,” “I crave it,” “I hunger for it,” and “I’m like a deer panting for water.”
When you get that desperate, you’re going to hear from God.
A lot of people talk to God but never hear from God. For them, prayer is a monologue. But no healthy relationship is a monologue—you need a dialogue. What if I always talked to my wife, but she never talked to me? That’s not a relationship. You’ve got to have a conversation.
Talking to God in prayer is important but so is listening to him and letting him talk to you. How does that happen? First, you’ve got to want it more than anything else.
Deuteronomy 4:29 says, “You will search again for the Lord your God. And if you search for him with all your heart and soul, you will find him” (NLT). That’s a promise from God, so it’s guaranteed!
What thing do you want most in life? How does your life reflect that longing?
How can you cultivate passion—or greater passion—for God in your life?
Think about your attitude when you approach God asking for direction. Are you prepared to respond in obedience?