Practice Listening to Holy Spirit

Listening to the small still voice, takes practice. Sometimes you really think you’re hearing clear direction. Many times the noise of life drowns out our ability to hear YHWH. 

One day, we let the dog out and soon realized that no one let him back into the house. He was long gone.  I worry about him when he takes off because he hunches down in the grass and sometimes chases cars. His herding instinct takes over. 

Don’t want anything to happen to my  little co-dependent friend, who is with me all the time. So I jumped in the car and started going down the familiar streets where I take him for a walk. But I kept hearing, go down to the dock. 

Internally, I was arguing. ” He couldn’t be down there. It’s so far down there. I have to use a key pad to get in. Surely, he’s not there. “

I kept circling the hills, yelling out the window and looking on the roadsides for  a squatting dog. He was no where to be found. Should I turn left and go down the road the other way? I always fear he will decide to take off in the woods and in these hills he could easily get lost.  God forbid he gets to 1431 and gets run over. 

Again my thoughts said, ” No, go down to the dock. You made a joke this morning that you were going to baptize him in the water down at the lake, He went. ” 

I had read Mark 16:15 which  read, ” Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. ” 

Blaze was standing there and I said, ” Jesus died for your sins Blaze. He said to tell all creation and baptize. I guess we should go down to the lake and baptize you. ”  Then, I rubbed his head and kissed him. 

Oh my goodness, I did tell him that we are going down to the lake, ” Okay, I’m going to obey what I hear in my thoughts. ” 

I go down this long road, with branches hitting my Tahoe. Put in the key pad entry, the gate moves slowly open. I inch down the steep downward hill. I pulled my SUV next to the dock to  look down the steps leading to the water. And guess what? 

Down on the dock snooping around was my tri-colored border collie. I yelled out, ” Blaze, you come here!” 

He darted like a champion  obstacle course winner up the metal stairs, loading  into the Tahoe with speed and precision. Soon his excitement quickly changed, knowing he had been a  bad boy. He turned  his head slightly away from me, waiting to see if he was in trouble.

First, what a smart dog.

He probably thought, ” Did she say lake?  I’m out of here. Meet you there for my baptism!”

Second, the Holy Spirit instructed me right away. I didn’t listen, wasted time looking on wrong streets. Then, when I decided to listen to the strong thought, He reminded me of what I said. I felt like it was a training session on listening to the Holy Spirit. 

I did close my eyes a few times and say Father can you tell me where he went? Then, praying for protection for Blaze. 

It was a cool training session on listening to that small still voice. I’ve also learned to listen to that voice the first time and stop arguing . I encourage you to fine tune your listening skills. Ask questions, then be still, write down thoughts. When you are doing mindless activities, carefully consider the thoughts that fly in. Often times Holy Spirit divine thoughts don’t line up with your own, uniquely different and sometimes with words you would not typically use. 

Scripture: 

 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Galatians 5:16 

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:26 

 

Reflection: 

1.  Find a time early in the morning and/or before bed, to quietly sit and listen. Thank Him with your thoughts. Imagine the peace of being near Him surrounding you. Imagine His love for you.  Be comfortable in the stillness. On really star filled nights go outside and enjoy, look up visit and listen.

Other ideas: Eat by yourself at lunch. Sit quietly, close your eyes and visualize his peace, love, understanding. Ask Him to reveal to you answers. Turn the radio off on your drive time, do the same thing- only eyes open, ha. Go for a walk in nature, thank him for the beauty, the family and all the blessings. Quiet your mind and listen. While you are waiting on your kids to get done with practice, sit in the car and spend time with the Yahweh.  Find time in your busy schedule.