“O LORD, Thou hast searched me and known me. Thou dost know when I sit down and when I rise up; Thou dost understand my thought from afar. Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down, And art intimately acquainted with all my ways.” Psalm 139:1-3, NASB
Dear Readers,
God’s personal interest in our daily lives is real. Whether we recognize His presence or not, we can be assured He’s right by our side, willing and more than able to help us with quandaries we face. Sometimes, however, we fail to acknowledge His nearness, and we trudge through our mixed basket of challenges with a ‘Do It Yourself’ mindset. Or, we allow frustration and discouragement to cloud our judgment, affecting our actions and decisions.
Wait a minute… aren’t we supposed to trust in the LORD? Rely on God? Walk in the Spirit?
YES. Yet it’s easy to tackle adversities in our flesh rather than addressing them in the Spirit. Leaning on our own understanding,” referred to in Proverbs 3:5, can be our instant reaction instead of trusting the LORD. And depending on ourselves or others can satisfy our desire for an immediate solution.
So, how can we hear God’s voice in the midst of life’s clamor and noise?
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Throughout my Christian walk, I’ve often experienced God’s communication through an interesting pattern:
Repeated Scripture Verses/Themes
I’ve noticed that God sometimes reaches out by bringing the same verse or set of verses to my attention. It’s hard to miss when the same Scripture lands in front of me—in a daily devotional, my daily Bible reading, on the radio, in a sermon, and so on. I love how God does this. In my opinion, it’s unmistakable evidence of His interaction with me. He communicates His Word in relation to whatever circumstance I’m seeking Him in. It’s always fitting and comforting.
This repetition of Scripture has occurred more times than I can count, and the Lord occasionally combines it with a repeated theme. For instance, this past Saturday as I drove to the library to write class material, I heard Sanctus Real’s latest song, “Confidence.” Daniel, Moses, and King David are mentioned in conjunction with fighting against our giants. I turned the station when the song ended only to hear it on another station. Then, this morning, I decided to read a friend’s latest blog post, “Trusting God When the Future Feels Uncertain.” Beckie Lindsey’s words about Moses, the twelve spies, the Promised Land, and giants spoke to me concerning decisions I face. Amazingly, after reading her article, I opened my Bible to Numbers 13, my daily reading for today. Lo and behold, it’s the very chapter about Moses, the twelve spies, the Promised Land, and giants. Clearly God had something to say to me—particularly about Moses and giants. He is such a personal God!
Have you ever experienced this pattern of repetition in relation to God’s communication? Please leave a comment for everyone’s encouragement.
We belong to an AWESOME GOD!
In Christ’s Love,
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Emily,
The Lord has used the repetition of Scripture countless times in my life, too. I believe God speaks to us most often through His amazing word. Of course, He speaks through sermons, music, friends, dreams, circumstances, nature, and many other ways. But for me, He has spoken most consistently through His word as you stated above.
I’m so thrilled that God used the post He inspired me to write in your life. God is so good! Thanks for referencing the post here on your amazing site.
Blessings to you sweet sister as you continue to shine for Jesus!
Dear Beckie,
Oh, I’m so glad you read my post and commented – I was very pleased to link yours so others can check it out. I love how God uses each of us for His purposes whether it’s through writing or another avenue of ministry. And, it was a pretty fantastic experience when I read your article and then opened my Bible to Numbers 13. God is awesome. Love you, dear sister in Christ.
In His Love,
Emily
Sweet Emily,
This devotion is so timely, just as you have said here how God speaks to us! I have been wrestling with confusion about how I could be so tightly tethered to God and still miss His Voice. You answered that question for me here where you said, “…we allow frustration and discouragement to cloud our judgment, affecting our actions and decisions.” Thank you for showing us that God is always speaking!
Dear Jenn,
You are so welcome ~ I’m thankful the Lord encouraged you through this post. He loves you so much. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I love hearing from you.
In Christ’s Love,
Emily
I love it when the Lord repeats themes or verses to get my attention! I often will hear a song on my playlist and then hear a totally unrelated sermon and then read a verse or see a post from a friend on Facebook that all just seem to reinforce the same message. I always laugh and tell God, “Okay, okay, Lord, I get it now!”
Dear Lila,
Thank you so much for sharing. Yes! God is amazing. He knows exactly how to get our attention. And I know what you mean – He often speaks to me through Christian music as well.
May the Lord bless you with a wonderful remainder of the day.
Love to you in Christ,
Emily