{"id":767,"date":"2020-01-28T13:57:39","date_gmt":"2020-01-28T13:57:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/?p=767"},"modified":"2020-01-28T14:04:38","modified_gmt":"2020-01-28T14:04:38","slug":"how-to-hear-from-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/how-to-hear-from-god\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Hear From God"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>We all need vision. We all need to be able to look forwards and feel hope arise in our hearts. So if you are in a place where your vision has faded a little, where you are not sure of the next steps, or if you are finding it hard to look forward with certainty and hope, I stand alongside you today and seek to help you in bringing about change and renewal. Life is multifaceted, it is complex! We live in the beauty of God&#8217;s intention for us but also the fall of the world. For some of us, we are seeking God for a specific area of our lives but for others there may be a significant reason for a general loss of vision. This can occur for many different reasons such as illness, grief, disappointment, hurt, conflict, confusion and doubt. These are all vision suppressors. So how do we pray to God at these times? How can we move to a place where there is revelation, renewal and change? I thought I would share with you a three-step creative exercise that I find useful in these times. Hopefully this will help you to hear from God for your life as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"625\" height=\"352\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uSdzzfCnoFs?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>1. Firstly, it\u2019s important to be really honest before God. Come\nto him just as you are, you need not pretend to be anything. Find a time where you\ncan be self-aware and God-aware, a peaceful moment in the home, a long walk or a\ndrive in the car. Be truthful and admit to yourself and your heavenly Father\nhow you feel! Talk to Him about the areas of your life you need new vision in. &nbsp;Allow the Holy Spirit to help you unpack your\nfeelings, your uncertainties, and your options. Take your time, be gentle and\nkind to yourself. It might be a while before you can search out what you are\nreally facing or asking for direction in. One helpful way to record these\nfeelings is to draw out <strong>a big question mark<\/strong>, then write how you feel,\nyour confusion, the possible different pathways or just the words <em>\u201dI need to\nhear you!\u201d<\/em> on the inside. This helps to frame our reality not in stone but as\na question. I find this opens the door to the possibility of revelation and of change,\nand new vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>2. The second thing to do is to <strong>draw a dream cloud<\/strong>, then write or draw in there a picture of where you hope your life could be. God works with us and through us, not despite of us or by force. We are taught to pray Abba Father, and like any dad would, God wants us to dream! However, also like any father would, he wants our dreams to move, evolve and change, so that they come alive with His kingdom heart. He wants our dreams to be real and achievable, so that we find contentment and peace. Sometimes we hold onto an ideal in our minds and will not let go! We allow ourselves to compare our lives to a dream ideal, always falling short. It&#8217;s only human to measure our lives in this way. However, we are taught by Jesus \u201cdo not worry about tomorrow\u201d(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Matthew+6%3A34&amp;version=NIV\">Matthew 6:34<\/a>). We are taught to take each day as it comes. The truth is God can give us vision wherever we are, whatever the landscape looks like, whatever the time or season is in our lives, and whatever obstacles lie before us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>3. Lastly, <strong>write in multi-colour!<\/strong> You have a chance\nto dream afresh at this moment in your life, so lay out your question mark, and\nyour dream cloud. Now take some coloured pens, pencils or paint and get ready\nto put down afresh your Fathers\u2019 insights! In this moment listen to your heart\nand thank God for your life! Listen to the sounds around you and thank God for\nthe place you are in today. Now dwell upon all that you hold, every aspect of\nyour life and commit these things to God. The truth is that our dreams are the\nvehicle for God\u2019s dreams! So, begin to write in colour this time for your hopes\nin work, in relationships, in finances, in leisure time and in ministry. For\nthose who have been robbed of vision by a life storm this might be hard, so\njust begin by writing in colour one thing that might be a small hope for\ntomorrow, even if it\u2019s just a nap! Or maybe it\u2019s just a moment to relax, watch\ntelly, a hug, or a new novel to enjoy. It\u2019s OK to both start small and it\u2019s\nalso OK to go big! Get a promotion, fall in love, feel well! Now ask God what\nhe would want for you\u2026\u2026sense his peace, <em>let yourself see what God sees<\/em>.\nSee your life illuminated by hope and possibility!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I must confess, I&#8217;ve not always been able to do this when in\na dark place. Just wait it out\u2026. give yourself grace\u2026. then the moment you feel\nthings clear a little have a go at waiting on God in this way. We are children\nof the living God. He will lead us through our lives and through death into new\nlife so don&#8217;t allow vision to leave you for too long. Come as you are to the Creator\nof the universe and ask for renewal. I often pray ahead and ask that when I am\nnear to the end of my earthly life, that I would be given a vision for my life\nin heaven. I imagine there will be all kinds of new colours to paint and new\ninstruments to hear, and so many wonderful things to turn my hand to! <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So to sum up, try these three steps out. Begin by being\nhonest with God and try <strong>writing a question mark <\/strong>and making a note of how\nyou feel and anything that you find confusing at the moment. Then <strong>draw a dream\ncloud<\/strong> and write in it what you are dreaming for. Finally, change your pen\nand <strong>write around this cloud in multi-colour <\/strong>the different things that\nyou are hoping for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do feel free to comment below on your experiences on hearing\nfrom God. We would love to read them and for you to share them with this\ncommunity here. Don\u2019t forget to subscribe to us if you haven\u2019t yet, and until\nnext time, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We all need vision. We all need to be able to look forwards and feel hope arise in our hearts. So if you are in a place where your vision has faded a little, where you are not sure of the next steps, or if you are finding it hard to look forward with certainty <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/how-to-hear-from-god\/\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":768,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true},"categories":[6,13],"tags":[67,65],"class_list":["post-767","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-prayer","category-reflections","tag-creative-prayer","tag-hearing-from-god"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/un_mountains_600.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7bKxI-cn","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":609,"url":"https:\/\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/prayer-for-couples\/","url_meta":{"origin":767,"position":0},"title":"Prayer for Couples","date":"February 9, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"The closeness found in marriage can provide a really beautiful space in which you learn together, grow in maturity and enjoy a deep friendship and intimacy. It was for me an extraordinary trigger to becoming more of who God created me to be and is such a blessing. However, that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Films&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"Hands make shape of a heart with sun behind","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/PE_Love_Hands_600.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":778,"url":"https:\/\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/prayer-for-protection-at-work\/","url_meta":{"origin":767,"position":1},"title":"Prayer for Protection at Work","date":"February 28, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"When we work, we serve God. No matter what our occupation we contribute daily to the ongoing work of His Spirit. It can be daunting when we feel the stress of responsibility, the fatigue of physical tiredness or the fear of the unknown and yet God longs to journey with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Prayer&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"walking to work","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/prayer_for_work_protection_600_un.jpg?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":472,"url":"https:\/\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/kingdom-threads\/","url_meta":{"origin":767,"position":2},"title":"Kingdom Threads","date":"March 28, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"\u201cKingdom Threads\u201d is a prayer poem that came to me as one continuous stream of thought as I was settling down to sleep one evening. It is a picture of threads being sown, woven and laid across the lands, connecting the broken and needy with the goodness of heaven and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Films&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"Kingdom Threads","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Kingdom_Threads_600.jpg?fit=600%2C337&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":643,"url":"https:\/\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/prayer-for-safe-travel\/","url_meta":{"origin":767,"position":3},"title":"Prayer for Safe Travel","date":"July 1, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"At this time of year most of us will be planning a trip away or waving friends and family off as they go on their holidays. Travel can be both exciting and unnerving! I have friends who love travelling. The excitement of new horizons, adventure and discovery propel them forwards,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Films&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"Beautiful valley with road running down the middle","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Prayer_For_Safe_Travel_Blog_800.jpg?fit=800%2C450&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":66,"url":"https:\/\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/prayer-connects\/","url_meta":{"origin":767,"position":4},"title":"Prayer Connects","date":"April 8, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The poem in this film just poured out of me one night like a continuous stream of ideas, so I am a little uncertain even about attributing it to myself. Recently I have been involved in praying for a number of very serious situations, and coming alongside those who are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Films&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Prayer_Connects_Shuttle_600.jpg?fit=600%2C338&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":621,"url":"https:\/\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/prayer-for-youth\/","url_meta":{"origin":767,"position":5},"title":"Prayer for Youth","date":"April 1, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"When I look back on my own \u201cyouth years\u201d I realise now what an extraordinarily difficult period it was \u2013 the explosion of hormones, the pressure to be in the \u201cin\u201d crowd, the stresses and expectations placed upon you \u2013 it all seemed to come together at the same time!\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Films&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"Young person jogging wearing a hoodie","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Prayer_For_Youth_600.jpg?fit=600%2C337&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/767","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=767"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/767\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":772,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/767\/revisions\/772"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/768"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=767"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=767"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prayerscapes.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=767"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}