Recording In Progress…

A young man was invited to an old friends home for dinner. His buddy preceded every request to his wife by endearing terms, calling her Honey, My Love, Darling, Sweetheart, Pumpkin, etc. He was impressed since the couple had been married almost 70 years, and while the wife was off in the kitchen he said to his buddy,

“I think it’s wonderful that after all the years you’ve been married, you still call your wife those pet names.”

His buddy hung his head. “To tell you the truth,” he said, “I forgot her name about ten years ago.”

One of the most important things about hearing God’s voice is to remember what He said. I wonder how many times God has shared a thought, idea, desire, leading, stirring, etc… and we have simply forgot about it. This tends to happen when we don’t have a system or a way to record the things God broadcasts to us. When we forget what God has already spoken to us we are in danger of not only missing His direction in the moment but also missing the rest of His plans.

We must cherish the voice of God and His leading more than anything else. Imagine being disciplined to write to do lists, grocery lists, and vacation plans yet failing to keep track of God’s will for our life. None of us want to miss out on forgetting what God is speaking to us, but that is what many do. We cannot miss those precious moments in the car, shower, walking, waiting, etc… when God is revealing things to us. Let me give you some ways to make sure you are recording God’s broadcasts to your life…

1. Write Down EVERYTHING

While studying Leonardo da Vinci’s life I came across something that caught my attention. Leonardo was notorious for keeping detailed journals that recorded ALL of his thoughts. It is reported that he had nearly 30,000 pages of notebooks containing his ideas. In fact most highly successful people are known for having in-depth systems for filing their thoughts. I say all this to prove a point. How much more important should we, followers of Christ, be even more committed to the process of writing down EVERYTHING God is sending to us? Whatever you need to do get a system to record the things God is sharing. I use a digital system through an app called “Evernote” that syncs with all my Apple devices. You may want to carry a notepad that is on you at all times. Whatever your system is…just have one.

2. Think About What God Has Said

Make sure you are taking time to think about and pray about the things God is sharing with you. If you do not meditate on His words we are likely to forget them. Meditating on God’s leading helps us to process and internalize it.

Psalm 1-3

1 Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.

Notice it says he who…meditates day and night. God wants us to be consumed with His direction and will. It is not a side project…it is life. Make sure you are spending intentional time thinking about what God has spoken to you. The more you meditate on His words the more God will unveil more of His plans.

3. Talk About What God Is Sharing With You

There is something powerful that happens when we talk about what God is revealing to us. It helps us to understand His will that much more. What is the point wasting time in endless conversations about weather, sports, food, hobbies, etc… when we could be talking about the things of God. I am not saying these things are wrong, I am simply saying make sure your conversations are meaningful and fruitful. God designed us to be in community with others that we can share with. The more we share the more others can bring wisdom to us.