God wants to have a relationship with all of us. He wants to be the number one person we come to when we run into problems, when we are scared, or when we need someone to talk to. God gives us the tools we need to reach out to Him and create that dialog. However, sometimes, we choose to turn to other options. We forget that God is there for us, and we feel He doesn't have time for us or any number of excuses.
In these moments, we are turned away from God, and He is trying to get our attention. God wants to help us, ease our pain, and be a resource. God may speak to us softly during prayer or scream from the rooftops, trying to get us to notice Him. There are many ways God reaches out to us that we sometimes ignore or brush off completely. Is God calling out to you and trying to get your attention? Here are the eight signs He is.
Through symbolism.
Knowing the signs He's trying to tell you something and how to discern those messages are imperative in order to live the life God wants for us. Jesus may be trying to reach you to encourage you back on a spiritual course. It's important to tune out the commotion, if only for a few moments each day, in order to hear His voice. One of the ways God may be trying to get your attention is through pictures and symbols. Did an image or something symbolic come out of nowhere? You might have accidentally brushed it off as something else, but it could be God. When The Holy Spirit steers your focus somewhere and then speaks spiritually through the moment, listen carefully.
Through people.
Another way God brings us guidance is through people messengers. The Lord will use family, close friends and even total strangers to speak a word into your life that will pierce an area God is trying to deal with. Sometimes, a random person you meet will mention something that you desperately need to hear or know that you wouldn't have otherwise heard had you not come across their path. God can use these people to bring you the gospel and give you solid advice. These people want the best for you, and God will choose people that you trust to really deliver important messages. Rely on your friends during the dark times. If you are feeling divinely guided by someone, God might be trying to get your attention.
Direction.
Do you feel the Lord is leading you in a certain direction? It might seem that He told you to start your own business or write a book. You'll soon start noticing more and more trends or patterns of occurrences pushing you in that direction. This might be what God has planned for your life. If you aren't sure, simply ask Him! He will continue to provide you with the clues. God not only opens our ears but also seals instruction so that we are notified of our faults, counseled in the wrong direction and instructed on the best ways to move forward from these circumstances. The Bible tells us, "He may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings" (Job 33:16). We can learn a lot through these instructions. We just have to be open to listening to what He is saying.
Increase of internal momentum.
Your spirit begins to engage and respond to the voice and Will of God. You will begin to feel internally motivated to understand God's direction, advice or warning. When you feel your heart pulling your brain a certain way, consider it being God's hand in your life. He can give you the energy to move in a specific way. We aren't always open to hearing God's voice because, most of the time, with our busy and hectic schedules, we close our ears and don't take the time to feel the Holy Spirit tugging at our hearts. While God can speak to us when we set aside time for prayer and meditation, He also speaks to us sometimes when it's inconvenient, like the times when you can barely hear yourself think.
Deeper spiritual sensitivity.
In addition to more energy, your spiritual sensitivity will heighten and engage in deeper understanding. Simple activities, like watching a movie or TV show, will speak to you in different ways that have the depth of meaning others might not get. God might be blessing you with knowledge and wisdom you didn't even know you had. This is one of His ways to get your attention. Developing deeper spiritual sensitivity is important to God because He wants you to take your spiritual walk seriously. Second Corinthians 5:7 says, "For we walk by faith, not by sight." If we focus our attention on God, our spiritual sensitivity will grow.
Feelings of uneasiness.
On the flip side, God might make you feel that something is just not right, and you have no sense of peace. If you feel like something is off, God might be trying to get your attention. There's a feeling of overall uneasiness in your life. Sometimes, distraction can deafen our ears to the voice of The Holy Spirit. In this case, the absence of peace is a loud and clear sign that God is trying to get you to pay more attention to Him. Feeling uneasy can provide us with great clarity. We must trust that God is with us in these moments of uneasiness. It's also imperative that we trust in God when we're not sure what direction to take.
Pushing out of your comfort zone.
It is normal for us to create our comfort zones and want to stay in that comfort zone, but there comes a point in our lives when it's important to step out of our comfort zones. We begin to do this during times of transition, growth and transformation. Yes, God does and can come after our comfort zones to get through to us. If you're experiencing transition or life change, ask God to speak to you and give Him your undivided attention. If you feel He is trying to push you out of the box you've stuck yourself in, don't push back. Instead, let yourself open up to these new experiences. These life changes might be a big part of His plan for you.
God's beckoning always requires a response and almost always requires a change in our lives. This is why we try to ignore Him; change is the last thing we want to do. One thing is for sure: the reward of obedience is far better than staying where you are. It's important to remember that listening to God begins with a genuine desire to hear from Him. God has spoken to us through those who were inspired to write the words of Scripture. His Word is still going forth and speaking to us. Our choice is whether or not we will heed the message of Bible verses about listening to God and listen to those around us who are speaking His Word.
