We constantly make decisions. Though, what we should have for breakfast can be tame compared to what we want to do for the rest of our life.

In every decision the hope is that we would be asking what it is God wants for our life. But what happens when we hit a snag? I think a big snag for a lot of people can be wanting to hear God's voice audibly, clearly and directly to them with exactly the answer they want. Here's a clue folks: It doesn't work that way.

So what do we do?

Step 1: Learn some self control.

We live in a world where everything is immediate. We get things handed to us at lightning speed. We're losing our attention spans and the ability to wait patiently because since we received the technology to view life in two second spurts that's all we choose, and that's all we choose for every second of the day.

I don't know how many times I've talked to people who tell me they're having such a hard time cutting back on Netflix, coffee or another thing that is hurting their ability to do something more important like school. Or other times I tell them how I'm able to not eat gluten or dairy because I have an intolerance and I return I get, "that must be so hard, how do you live?" My response would be that's it's quite easy to go off of things that make you feel not so great when you use self control. We're losing our ability in this culture to have self control and it's hurting us deeply. People can do whatever they want, whether it's good for them or good for the people around them doesn't really matter. It's a selfish, ME based culture and daily it's getting harder, even as a Christian, to live an unselfish life.

Step 2: Learn that He doesn't speak in glowing, neon signs. He speaks in a whisper.

This is hard. We expect the God of the Universe to yell and make a whole lot of noise, but that's not because of what we know of Him, but what we know of ourselves. If we were God that's what we would do, so is a good thing we're not.

‭‭1 Kings‬ ‭19:12-13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

A whisper. When we hear a speaker on stage and they've been going for a while and then they stop, lower their voice and you lean in so that you don't miss what they're saying, that's power. It just is the opposite of what we've always been told. Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." (Matthew‬ ‭5:5‬ ‭ESV‬‬). The people these days that are standing up to be leaders, don't follow that ideal. Meekness is seen as weakness. But it's not. There is more power in the man standing in front of a line of tanks with two grocery bags in his hands, than the power that comes from those tanks when they force him out of the way.

We don't all hear Him the same way, so it can be hard for us to compare ourselves to others and the relationship they may have with Him.

Step 3: Stop comparing your relationship to Him versus others. He doesn't speak to all of us the same way.

In the Bible, God spoke audibly to many people. In today's world that's much less common, but it does happen. And when it does, we as Christians a lot of times begin to expect that He should just talk to everyone in the same way. But that's not how He works. The beautiful thing about our God is that He has a personal relationship with everyone and each relationship is unique to that person in the way they learn and grow and do life.

For instance, my sister's view of God's plan for her looks like her making plans, having goals, going after things and then expecting God to use those things that she's going after for His glory. On my end, I endlessly pray that God would show me what He wants for my life. I don't make plans easily because I'm often praying, "God is this the right thing," before I do it. Now I don't think either way is wrong. I think both ways can become tricky if it becomes about you and not God, but each is a representation really of our personalities and the fact that God uses who we are to love Him and be in a relationship with Him.

So with that said, stop comparing yourself to others. Not everyone will hear God's voice as some people. And that's okay. The biggest thing too, is not to expect that how they hear Him is how they should hear Him. So if you're someone who hears His voice all the time, or just can easily know what His plans are because you feel what He's saying, that's great. Do not put that into someone else saying that they should be feeling the same thing you are and whatever you're feeling is obviously the right answer for them. Leave God's job to Him.

Decisions are hard. And they're harder still when we forget how we should be living in the first place; with all the glory going to God. He's the one in command, and really when you think about it, that should give you unbelievable peace because at the end of the day, even if you screw up, He's still the one holding the world in His hands, holding you in His hands, and being a God that loves to be personal with you.