SHHHH, Your Father is Speaking

Can you hear Him? I couldn't, and for a while I really didn't notice it because I was trying to do my own thing. But then I NEEDED Him to speak, aint that something, didn't notice it till I needed something. Anyways, and He would not....or so I thought. I've heard other people say they couldn't hear from God for various reasons. There may be times when we cry out and don't hear anything, however I believe that on more occasions than we are willing to admit, we just aren't listening. I got to a point, at the end of 2008 where I was determined, I needed to hear again! So I started really thinking this thing over, walking around questioning myself trying to figure out if He wasn't just talking to me, or if I, the busy body just wasn't paying attention. In my personal situation, I found it was the latter. I'm a trendy girl, so I have interest in some pop culture. I'm young and vibrant so I like to go out and have a good time with friends. I am single, so I do flirt....on occasion :-). But I was consumed in it all. My days were loaded with things through cable, internet, radio, etc that had my attention on lock. My body and mind was cluttered with everything under the sun created by man, I was caught up. I was ashamed at myself because when I sat back and thought about it, I literally had sqeezed God off my speed dial. I was sending Him to voicemail and not checkin it. 1 missed call, 5 missed calls, would just get cleared out so I could call someone else. The sad part is this was all unintentional. So as I stepped into the new year decided it was time for a cleanse. I was listening to Usher, Kanye, Lupe, and Wayne, all the time, so I took the CDs out the car. I couldn't miss ESPN, ANTM, I Wanna Work for Diddy, Making the Band, so I turned off the cable. I drank and ate the most fermented, sugary and fattening of things, all the time, so I stopped. Anything I felt was part reason and in my way, I removed it. But when I look back, I see I did have some help. When I was in Atlanta, I was living it up! Going out, ALL THE TIME. I thought I would die if I missed a specific happy hour or planned outing of some sort. I stayed at "the spot" wherever it was, even if I had to go alone. Hmmmm, maybe why God orchestrated my move to Chicago where I am now so comfortable and content with sitting on my couch? These things have worked to my benefit because I now can once again hear the small, still, voice of the Lord. Now I'm not telling you to stop living your life, and neither do I plan on not living mine, i'm merely speaking on what my issues were, what I needed to do, and what has worked for me. I'm sure I will once again do many of the things that I have taken a break from, I'm assured that i'll be in the beautiful South ready to "be owt" again, i'm definite that i'll hit J.R. Crickets for their wonderful lemon pepper wings and daiquiris once more, however I am more mindful today to not let those things consume me, tomorrow. I challenge you to take a look at your lives to see what may be keeping you from God's voice, instruction, and peace. Really ask yourself if you have pulled away, evaluate your line of communication, check your router for solid green lights, better you now than Him, later.