Hearing GodSýnishorn

“The Myth of the Boring God”

The centurion in today’s Bible story had to overcome his own sense of national pride and racial prejudice to reach out to Jesus. Even though he was an important man, he humbled himself to seek Jesus’s help because he cared about his servant. And as a result he saw and heard the power of God.

Some people think God is boring, predictable. But if that’s so, why does He speak in surprising ways—not just to the centurion but over and over again?

God has much to say to us, but His voice may come from places we never dreamed. And there’s the crazy thing—we will never be ready for where it’s coming from next. It will be consistent with His character, and it will be consistent with the revelation He’s already given us, but at its core it will likely carry the element of surprise and demand that we humble ourselves to receive it.

God likes to see what’s under the hood, so to speak. He gets to the inner motivations and attitudes that drive us. He’s a heart-reader. He’s looking to see if there’s some hunger and thirst. And He will absolutely speak in ways that will require our humility to hear.

God might use a humbling experience to speak to you. He might use your brother who annoys you or your sister who always talks down to you. Tough rocks. If God uses you and you’re imperfect, He’ll use someone else who’s imperfect.

To speak to you, God might use a friend who’s always up in your business and calling you on stuff. That friend might come off a little this or that, but God might have something to say through that friend. Look past the flesh. Are you hungry? Are you open to receive?

Ask the Holy Spirit to make you hungry for truth—no matter where it comes from—and

to speak to you. Our prayer should become, God, make me hungry and humble. If we’re hungry and humble, God will show up. 

I want to be so hungry for God’s words that I don’t care who cooked it or what plate it’s coming on!

Remember: God speaks to us in ways we would never expect. Only humility lets us hear Him when He does.

 

We hope this Plan encouraged you.

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