7. The more time I spend seeking to hear Jesus, the easier it will be to recognize his voice.

(Before looking at the questions below, take a few minutes to think about this statement. Invite Jesus to speak to you about what He would like you to notice.) 

How do you feel about the idea that it may take much time to learn how to hear Jesus speak to you?

Reflect on your vision or desires for your relationship with Jesus. Invite Jesus to help you develop a plan for making these desires a reality, a plan that draws you, not pushes you. Write it down so you can remember it. 

Talk to Jesus about how He could help you in this plan. Write what you hear from Him. 

Most things that have value in life take time to develop. For instance, we can’t learn a new language in just a few days. A strong desire may be helpful, but desire alone will not produce the results we want. Along with desire, we must give effort to learning, practicing, and training. Learning a new language requires intentional time and focus. Would five minutes a day be enough? Would an hour on Sunday be adequate? Obviously not.

Learning to hear God’s voice will require learning, practicing, training, and lots of focused, intentional time. Sometimes we have the idea that simply wanting to hear God speak to us makes it happen. Early on we certainly may hear God. For example, we may hear His invitation to accept His gift of forgiveness.

Learning to have ongoing dialogue with God will take time to develop. This may sometimes feel like a burden. We may think, “Why doesn’t God make it easier to hear Him? I thought the Christian life was free. I didn’t think it would require so much work on my part. What happened to grace?” I won’t pretend that I fully understand why it takes time to learn to hear and converse with God.

Perhaps it has to do with not just learning a language but coming to know a person,. Even after 35 years of marriage, I still misunderstand what my spouse communicates sometimes. There is more for me to learn about my wife. So too with God; hearing requires deeper knowledge of Him. And all of this does in fact take time. It is true that God has all the time in the world for us.

God leaves it to us to decide how much time we have for Him. God’s saving grace has already made heaven available to us when we die. But God wants us to begin enjoying a bit of heaven now, with Him.

Our motive to spend time with God should be for the happiness, joy, contentment, and peace that we experience in our growing relationship with Him.