Here's something I've learned recently, with the help of the study, Experiencing God by Henry and Richard Blackaby. When God speaks and we listen, we should experience a crisis. This took me by surprise initially, and I had to read on and think about it before I came to the conclusion that I agreed.
My initial struggle was with the word "crisis." That word has a negative connotation for me. When I think crisis, I think danger, disaster, calamity. I think bad. That is not the full meaning of the word, however. A crisis, by definition, is a time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger. It is the first part of this definition which the Blackabys refer to when they talk about what they call a crisis of belief.
Their point is that when God speaks, and we hear Him, we are at a critical point of decision, a time of intense difficulty--a crisis--which is this: What do we believe about God? Do we believe God will do what He has told us, or do we believe that He cannot or will not? Because if it is truly God speaking to us, telling us to do (or not do) something, chances are what He wants is going to be bigger than we are. Something we cannot do on our own. Something that requires faith.
It is this crisis, this point where we have to trust God or not trust God, that we should be experiencing when He speaks to us. Not a crisis of salvation, but one of trust. Not necessarily a question if God can, but if God will. Not a question of what God wants, but are we willing to trust Him to do it.
A crisis doesn't have to be a long, drawn-out affair.
Often times, these crises (that's the plural of crisis, believe it or not!) are short lived. All we have to do is remember what God has done for us in the past, and we believe. God has been faithful in the past, and so we can assume He will be faithful in the future. In just that short of time, the crisis passes, and we choose our way.
Other times, we (wrongly) decide that what God has told us is impossible. We can't do it. We can't depend on God to do it for us. We have a better way, a better idea, something more realistic. Just as quickly, we've chosen our path to follow, albeit a path that takes us out of God's will.
There are, of course, those times when this crisis of belief is of such magnitude, the struggle so hard, that it takes days, weeks, even years to overcome. Sometimes we struggle mightily with the opposing forces of God's will, our sinful nature, and the enemy. These are the battles which really feel like a crisis, though in truth it is the daily skirmishes which define our faith.
Are you ready for a crisis?
If you are listening for God to speak to you, be ready to face a time of difficulty, perhaps even a time of trouble and danger. Know that when God speaks, your first inclination may very well be not to believe that it is truly Him, or that He really means what He says. Be ready to face doubt, temptation, fear. Prepare to be challenged.
God's will is not a trifling matter. His ways are not our ways. His understanding is not our understanding. His timing is not our timing. Believing those things, and trusting Him through them all, is not an easy thing, nor should it be. It is a spiritual battle we face, and a warrior's way is not an easy one.
Learn to listen and recognize God's voice. Know when He speaks, and recognize that the war waging within you is not a sign of weakness, but an opportunity to grow in your faith. This crisis of belief is not bad, nor should it be unwanted. We should welcome it, overcome it, and believe that our God is truly who He says He is.
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