Today, I am excited to introduce a very special friend of mine...Mj Falcon. We met several years ago in a theater production of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and discovered we shared a number of passions in common, namely faith, theater, singing and writing. We've stayed in touch since then and today, she's hopping on my blog to share her thoughts on why we often don't hear God speaking to us.
Our Generation is Silencing God
"What? I don't silence God!"
Maybe that's what you were thinking when you read that title. In reality, we have all silenced God at some time or another.
This is most common though with the younger generations, since we’ve grown up dependent on social media, videogames, and music. These things have become so prominent and loud in our lives that they drown out God's calling.
"I'm not silencing God, He's just not talking to me."
God is talking to you, to me, to everyone, but we're just not listening for Him. God is not going to yell and scream to get our attention. He speaks in a quiet, gentle voice. Whether or not we hear His voice is completely up to us.
Technology is one thing that has seriously impacted our ability to hear God, and not always for the good. The need to always be watching something, scrolling something, or listening to something drowns out God's calling to us. When we're bored, we sit and scroll Instagram or watch YouTube or put earbuds in to blast some music. How are we supposed to hear God's voice when the world's voice is so loud around us?
I will admit, I struggle with this myself. Whenever I'm writing, doing chores, sitting in the passenger seat on a long drive, or doing homework, I put in my AirPods or headphones and turn on some music. And I like my music loud. Music isn't a bad thing; it can actually help us worship God, but it can also hinder it.
If you're blasting your music all of the time, there’s never a quiet moment where you can listen for that gentle voice of God. Again, I'm calling myself out on this; it's something I could definitely work on. Maybe the next time you're driving down the road, turn off the music and just listen. Or even turn on some calm Christian music that allows you to think about how much God has done for you. Maybe you don't hear Him yet, but ask Him to speak to you through the Holy Spirit.
Maybe the next time you catch yourself scrolling endlessly on social media when you aren't doing anything, open up your Bible and read a few verses or even a couple chapters! Spend some time in prayer with God and ask him to speak to you through His Word.
Technology aside, let's think about your personal Christian walk. When was the last time you prayed a personal prayer to God? Not a "thank you for this food" or "help me to have a good day" prayer, but a true personal prayer of praise and gratitude to God. We've become so stuck in the rut of mindless prayers that we forget that we can actually pray to God about anything, even just to say hi. Sounds silly, but God wants to hear from you! God is talking to you, so you should talk back! That's how relationships work!
When was the last time you opened your Bible? God has already given us His Word, and that's a good place to hear Him speak to us. Reading the Bible draws us closer to God, and the closer you get to God, the clearer you're going to hear His voice. "Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you" James 4:8.
Every time you open your Bible, pray and ask God to show you something from His Word. Turn off the TV, shut off your phone, take out the earbuds, and just spend some time with God. Listen. God's talking to you every day through the Holy Spirit and through the Bible. The question is, what are you doing that is hindering you from hearing Him?
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." -Revelation 3:22
Author Biography: Mj Falcon, a 17 yr. old Christian writer, has always enjoyed creative writing and mainly writes fantasy and contemporary. She started writing poetry at age six, but switched to writing fiction stories when she was nine. Since then, she has finished writing four books and several short stories. Outside of writing, Mj enjoys doing theater, drawing, and watching movies.
Thanks for sharing these accurate thoughts and wisdom that challenge all ages to listen for that "still, small voice."
That's so good!
Well said, MJ! 🥰
Mmm, I love this, MJ--carving out time just to be still and know that he is God can be so hard in the modern world (honestly, though, it was probably always hard 😅 though the difficulties do feel more pronounced now), yet it's so incredibly valuable. Thank you for this reminder!
I love this so much MJ! Agree with it all. Thank you for your honest challenge to all of us. And thank you also for being such a sweet encouragement to Jaela on her writing journey.