Trying hard to listen....

Tonight was a very interesting experience for me. I tried my second day of being quiet for 10 minutes and letting God speak. Once again, I started with joy. But tonight I really had a hard time staying focused.

My mind wandered innocently to nature and a park that I visited when I was a child. Then I started to plan going back to that park, which quickly turned into my going over my schedule for the week in my head.

It's interesting to me how quickly we can be distracted. I know I've blogged on distraction before, and yet I feel like I made a bit of a breakthrough tonight. It amazes me how much easier it is for me to listen to the distracting whispers in my ear, rather than the silent prayer I am suppose to be focusing on.

Is it easier for me to hear Satan's distractions over my own God's voice? Are God's whispers drowned out by the things around me? Am I able to hear them when I'm not silent?

When teaching about negative and positive words for the SAT, distraction comes up as a negative word. Can a distraction be positive? Can God use distraction with us?

I definitely felt the distraction from a negative standpoint tonight. I know I need to continue to focus because it is obvious to me that I can hear Satan's whispers and yet I have a hard time hearing God. Is it because of the noise around me? Or am I just not in tune with his voice?

I Kings 19:11-12

The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

LORD,

Help me not to be so distracted by the winds, earthquakes and fires of this world, that I miss your gentle whisper. Please be with me and help me to grow as I spend more time with you.

Brie!