Will We Answer God’s Call?

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No one likes getting endlessly lost in an automated computer phone system. It is quite frustrating when you can’t get through to a real person. Studies show that businesses that have phones answered by a live person outperform businesses that use an auto-attendant. We all prefer to talk to a real person. God does too! When God calls you will you answer, or will He be forced to speak to your auto-attendant? Please read more…

According to one study conducted in 2011, 67% of customers have hung up the phone out of frustration when they could not talk to a real person. According to a different study, 75% of customers believe it takes too long to reach a live person. According to Consumer Reports, 72% of callers who reach an automated answer will hang up (and potentially call a competitor) without leaving a message. And according to Forbes, customers form an impression of a business in the first 7 seconds of contact.  I hope God is more patient and understanding when we don’t answer His call.

When God calls us, do we answer Him? Do we ever hear His voice, or does His call go straight to our auto-attendant? Is God forced to listen to this, “I’m sorry but I am unable to answer your call. Your call is very important to me. If you are calling to communicate with me in prayer, press one. If you want me to help someone, press two. If you are calling me away from my favorite sin, press three. If you are calling to comfort me, press four.” Fortunately, God does not get frustrated like we do. He will continue to call until He gets through to us.   

God is always trying to speak to us. This is nothing new. He has been speaking to His people throughout the ages. God spoke to Adam in the garden, He told Noah to build an ark, Moses heard God speaking from a burning bush, God promised Abraham he would have a son, and God spoke to Saul of Tarsus while he was traveling to Damascus and said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”  

In each incident above, the people heard God speak audibly. God, however, not only speaks in audible ways, but He also speaks to us through other means. He is not limited as to how He can speak and reveal Himself to us.

In Matthew 1:20, we read about God speaking to Joseph in a dream. In Acts 10:9-33, God spoke to Peter in a vision. In Luke 1:31, God spoke through the Angel Gabriel when he said, “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.”

How is God calling you? How is He trying reveal to you? I believe God speaks to me through the words of Scripture, through nature, through prayer, through other people, through music, in silence, and even through everyday circumstances.  

God did not stop speaking to His people after His Son Jesus ascended into Heaven. He is still trying to speak to us every day. When He tries to reach us, He does not want to be put on hold, nor does He want to speak to our auto-attendant.

Several people have told me that they never hear God speaking to them. Maybe they just don’t hear Him. Does God speak to some, and not others? I doubt it. My guess is that He is speaking to all of us, but for some reason some people don’t hear His call. If you feel that God is not speaking to you, is there anything you can do? Maybe so.

John 10:27 tells us, “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Jesus is the Good Shepard. In order for sheep to know their shepherd’s voice, they must spend time in the company of the shepherd. If we want to hear, and more importantly, know God’s voice, we must make time to be with Him. We can start by spending time every day in prayer and scripture. Doing this will help us recognize His voice when He speaks.

Perhaps we are too busy to hear God speak. Maybe we have too many noises and distractions blocking out the sound of His voice. Sometimes He shouts, but more often He whispers or reveals Himself through other means. Whether God chooses to speak to us through Scripture or simply through the circumstances of life, we must be ready to listen. Are you listening, or have you turned your auto-attendant on?

The next time God reaches out to you, let Him hear your voice. He doesn’t want to get caught in your auto-attendant. When He calls, we all need to respond like Samuel, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:10.

Dear Heavenly Father, you gave me eyes to see and ears to listen and a soul that longs to hear your voice. Please help me to be attentive to those times you try to reveal yourself to me. I ask this in the name of Jesus your son, amen.

AMDG

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Brian Pusateri

Brian is a Christian author and speaker. Brian, a lifelong Catholic, felt his life was forever changed when God spoke to his heart while attending an eight day silent Christian retreat in November of 2011. Soon after that retreat Brian founded 4th Day Letters and Broken Door Ministries. With the God inspired message of mercy and unconditional love that was placed on his heart during that retreat, Brian has been impacting others all over the country and around the world with his weekly letters, his talks, and his all day Christian retreats. In June of 2014, Brian’s life was again impacted in a very dramatic way when his eyesight suddenly became permanently impaired. The initial diagnosis was Multiple Scleroses (MS) but in December of 2019 the diagnosis was corrected to MOG antibody disease, a rare neurological disease. This health challenge has only served to draw Brian closer to God and bolster the importance of this timely yet ageless message.

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