I had a brief reprieve yesterday afternoon from the hammering and banging going on at my home. The downpour of rain had sent the roofers home early for the day.
The peace and quiet was glorious!
I pulled on my coat and headed outside to enjoy the forest!
There are a few rotting, smooshy log-rounds in the front paddock area which I like to climb up on top of … and just stand there enjoying the sounds of the forest. This is where I headed yesterday afternoon.
Here you can see my view from atop my perch.
The peace & quiet was glorious! No hammering! No banging!
I could hear individual dried leaves scrunching against tree branches and other dried leaves as they floated down on their journey to the ground.
I could hear the sound of the breeze in the cedars.
Oh, there’s a “chirp . chirp . chirp” sound! I should see what type of bird that is!
I pulled out my brand-new “Merlin Bird ID” app (by Cornell Lab of Ornithology). I had just downloaded the app last weekend, but I hadn’t had a chance to use it yet.
I started a sound-recording to see what that “chirp . chirp . chirp’ing” bird was.
But my Bird ID app wasn’t picking up any bird sounds.
What?!? How can it not hear that?!?
Arrgh!! There’s a plane going by overhead!
I hadn’t even been aware of the plane going by overhead.
But once I realized it, it seemed as if it took forever for the sound of the plane engine to fade away.
Ok … let’s try again. The “chirp . chirp . chirp” sound was still singing out at 2 second intervals.
But my Bird ID app wasn’t picking up any bird sounds.
Arrgh!! A car just drove past and ruined my recording!
Ok … let’s try again. The “chirp . chirp . chirp” sound had actually moved closer by now. It was very pronounced and distinct. Surely my Bird ID app could identify it now!
But my Bird ID app wasn’t picking up any bird sounds.
Seriously!?!
I could watch the sound-recording bar going across the screen … and every time there was the distinct, pronounced “chirp” sound, the sound-recording bar made 3 horizontally-layered dark dashes. I stood there, perched atop my rotting log-round, watching the 3 layered dark dashes popping onto the sound-bar at regular 2 second intervals. Why wasn’t my Bird ID app telling me which bird it was?!? Clearly it was picking it up!
Suddenly the Bird ID popped up a bird profile on my screen. Whoo Hoo!!
Oh wow! Check it out! A Golden-crowned Kinglet! I didn’t know that bird was in my forest!
Finally! Finally the app figured out the “chirp . chirp . chirp” sound.
I paused to listen to a sample of the Golden-crowned Kinglet song. Wait a minute … that’s not the “chirp . chirp . chirp” sound I’m looking for.
Ok, ok … the Bird ID was partially correct … that little bird song is definitely here in my forest … way over that way – in the background. But that’s not the sound I’m trying to identify.
I started the sound-recording again.
Arrgh!! Now there’s a leaf blower ruining the recording! I hadn’t even noticed the leaf blower until that moment.
The leaf blower paused. Ok … let’s try again.
Suddenly the Bird ID popped up a bird profile on my screen.
Whoo Hoo! Maybe it figured it out this time.
Oh, wow! A Chestnut-backed Chickadee! Cool! I didn’t know that bird was in my forest! But that’s not the sound I’m trying to identify. Ok, ok … the Bird ID was partially correct … that bird song is here in the forest. But it’s way over there – in the background.
After about 10 minutes of frustrated recording attempts … it slowly dawned on me that the distinct, pronounced “chirp . chirp . chirp” I was hearing obviously must not be a bird after all. In fact, I slowly realized … it was a chipmunk (or maybe a squirrel).
And suddenly, in that moment, I became distinctly aware of a frog song in the forest which I hadn’t even noticed before. Of course I hadn’t noticed the frog song. I had been listening only for bird songs. Obviously I wouldn’t expect my Bird ID app to identify a frog for me. That would be ridiculous.
As I stood there, perched atop my rotting, smooshy log-round, I pondered how this is a lot like how we try to listen to God.
We pray and we ask: “God, what should I do??”
“God, do you have a word for me??”
And just like my Bird ID app wasn’t giving me an answer … so also, we feel as if God is not answering us!
My Bird ID app is actually very, very good at identifying birds! In one 30-second recording it identified three completely different types of birds. I have never even heard of these birds before. I know nothing about them. I have never even seen what they look like. And yet, out of the multiple, simultaneous bird songs in the forest, the Bird ID app picked all three out individually. That’s amazing!
Then a little bit later, it did it again! Three completely different types of birds. Birds which I had no idea were even in my forest. Birds which I know nothing about. But out of the multiple, simultaneous bird songs in the forest, the Bird ID “heard” them … individually. Once again, that’s amazing!!
But the Bird ID could not hear them if there was an airplane going by overhead.
It could not hear them if there was a car speeding past down the road.
It could not hear them if the leaf blower was making lots of racket!
In the same way, we “listen” for God’s “voice.” We pray and try to “hear” from God. But there is so much “noise” in our life!! “Noise” of social media! “Noise” of the books and magazines we read. “Noise” of the movies & TV shows we watch. So much “noise”!
Or the “noise” of all the news. News of everything bad which is occurring in the world! News of everything bad which might occur, but hasn’t yet! News predicting woe, of how everything is going to come crashing down in life! Bad, bad, bad. Everything is just bad.
We try to hear God’s “voice” … but we can’t. There’s too much “noise” drowning it out!
And then there are the “voices” in our own head. Worries nagging at the back of our mind! Fears gnawing at us from the inside! Regrets for past mistakes which keep us trapped & stuck in the rut where we are.
We pray … we try to hear God’s “voice” … but we can’t. There’s so much noise drowning it out!
“Be still and know that I am God.” – Psalm 46:10
Be . still.
The Bird ID app is very, very good at hearing and identifying many different birds! But it requires “being still” and “quieting the noises.”
If we want to “hear” from God, we’ve got to turn off the “noises.” Turn off the news. Turn off the social media. Turn off the “voices” in our own head. And create some “still space” to “hear” from God.
So, what about when we ask God something and it seems as if God is not answering? Just like my Bird ID was not responding to the “chirp . chirp . chirp” of the chipmunk.
“God should I date this person? I know they are not a Christian … and I know you said in your Word that a believer is not to marry an unbeliever. But I’m just not sure. What should I do?”
“God, I know you said that it is wrong to ‘sleep around’ … but we’re already ‘living together.’ So surely it’s not really that big of a deal is it? Everyone else is doing the same thing.”
And all we get is silence from Heaven!
When God does not respond … just like my Bird ID did not respond … it’s because He has nothing to say about that. He has already clearly addressed those questions in his Word [ the Bible] and He has not left any room for arguing or disobedience.
“Sure, I hate that person … I mean, I really can’t stand them! … but that aside, God will you please bless me in what I’m doing.”
“Sure, I keep stealing from work by slacking on my time … but God, will you please bless me.”
When Heaven doesn’t answer … it’s because God doesn’t have anything to say about that. That behavior is wrong! Period. God will not “speak” in answer to your prayers if you are living in disobedience and sin.
Or perhaps, it might be like my Bird ID app giving me a bird profile … but that was not the answer I wanted. God might be speaking … and it might not be the answer you are wanting.
“Be still and know that I am God.” – Psalm 46:10
Quiet your mind.
Quiet your heart.
And you will be able to “hear” God speak.
* God “speaks” first and foremost through His Word. That’s why you’ve got to know your Bible!
* God “speaks” through your conscience … giving conviction of sin; and providing guidance and direction in the moment-to-moment.
* God “speaks” through godly people. Observe & learn from the lives of godly people. Listen & learn from the wisdom of godly people. Make a point to develop friendships with godly people.
And just like my Bird ID app was able to pick out multiple different birds, individually, out of a cacophony of forest sounds … so also, in our Christian life we will be able to pick out God’s “voice” in multiple different ways, in response to multiple different concerns.
“Be still and know that I am God.” – Psalm 46:10
