Listening to what God has to say to us
“I will listen to what God the Lord says. He promises peace to his faithful people. But they must not turn to foolish ways.”
Psalm 85:8 (NIRV)
Ponder.
Talking to God is great! As you look through all of Albert's prayer arrows, you can see how many ways we can do that; saying thankyou, praising God and much more!
But, we need to listen too.
There's lots of ways to listen and hear what God has to say; reading or listening to our Bibles, songs - listening or singing them, thinking about what we have heard or learnt.
Maybe asking God a question and doing something that helps us listen for an answer.
We know a girl who was on a funfair ride and felt that God said "Christians are allowed to have fun too". She had been thinking that being a Christian would take all her fun away.
Ponder some more:
You might be thinking "Can you hear a voice when you listen to God?"
Some people do, but not many! Not a big booming voice, but a quiet one. A few people find God talks to them in their dreams - you might want to talk to your grown ups about that.
Most people have a feeling, or a moment of suddenly understanding something more about God.
It could happen when you are deliberately listening, it might be as you walk somewhere, sit on a bus, or when you’re just playing. Some grownups listen when they're in the toilet - because it's the only quiet place in the house! It doesn't have to be a set time or place.
Whatever you hear from God - it will always agree with what is written in the Bible. Here's a silly example of that: If you feel God told you to steal someones bike - then that wasn't God, because the Bible tells us that God says stealing is wrong. It's always good to check out what you think God said to you with another Christian.
Use Your Ears to Pray
Never do this with an empty mind - fill it with something about God first; a song about God, a verse from the bible, a story from the bible. This is what you will think about....or ponder.
What helps you to listen best?
A fiddle toy? Drawing? Walking or running? Watching something like a glitter tube or bubble lamp?
Find that thing or get ready to do it!
Ask God to speak to you as you fiddle, draw or watch.
You may not hear anything, and that's ok - but it has been good for you to ponder things about God.
But He might speak to you at a different time
