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A question from her son prompted Nikki Lamberg to tell him about the different ways God speaks to us.

Have you ever wondered if you are really hearing God’s voice? How do you know if that thought you just had is Him or just something you want? I am sure we have all asked ourselves this question and it’s good to give ourselves a check and balance of our desires. Is this what God wants for us? Or is it something we want?

I distinctly remember a time when I heard his voice, but I didn’t realize what it was at the time. I was in my early 20’s, struggling with a current relationship, and as I started to talk to God about it, I remember saying “God, I don’t need to know when or how, but can you please just tell me the name of the person I am supposed to marry so I know if I am on the right path or not.” After that I heard the name “Aaron.” I remember laughing inwardly at that because I only knew a couple of guys named Aaron at the time and I knew that neither one of them were for me. I did, however, know a guy whose first name I wasn’t sure of because he was called by a nickname. Eventually this guy and I started dating and three years later, my Aaron and I were married. (Yes that really is his name!) Looking back, I now know I heard God’s voice that day. For who else knows our future days and can lead us to His plans for us?

More recently my 8-year-old son was complaining to me that he was trying to talk to God but was convinced God must not be listening because he couldn’t hear Him saying anything back. It dawned on me in that moment that we need to remind our children, and ourselves, the different ways that God talks to us and shows us His presence in our lives.

I first told my oldest son that he should pray to God and ask Him to show us how to hear Him. I told him that sometimes we just need to be still, free our mind from everything, listen, and wait. We may hear Him right away, or we might need to just have patience, but we should keep trying to ask Him.

During the discernment process, it will be important to remember that God will always give us good thoughts; they will never be to harm someone or something. And if we still aren’t sure if it’s Him or not, it’s ok to keep asking, keep praying about it. I always say that for me personally, there is a good chance that I will require a “billboard” from God for it to click and for me to be confident that it is Him. Truth be told, I had a literal billboard give me my answer one time! It seems God has a sense of humor, too.

When we were suffering with infertility, having another child after we already had one was on my heart. Although many would say “at least you have one already,” it did not change my desire to have another. During that struggle, someone else told me, “If it’s on your heart, God put it there for a reason.” What a beautiful thought to have. If it is something for good, and the thought does not go away, it probably means that God has put it there. It may not be the right time for that thought or action; it may need time to grow in your heart, but eventually it will happen if that is God’s Will for us.

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It is so important to share with our children, no matter their age, that God is always there. #catholicmom

So, while we continue to work with our son, and ourselves, on searching for God’s answers, we encourage him, as well as our other two children, to find God’s presence in every day. For searching for Him in our everyday life will lead us closer to Him, and we will better hear His voice. When we see the sunrise in the morning, we admire the beauty God has created for this new day and we say, “Good morning God.” When we hear emergency sirens, we stop to say a quick prayer that everyone will be OK. When we sit down to have a meal, we give thanks over the food that He has provided us.

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For us, it is so important to share with our children, no matter their age, that God is always there. We may not always hear His voice right away, but He is always listening. So, while we wait to hear that whisper, we could continue to work on quieting our minds, and continue to give thanks and praise for all that He has given us. And someday, maybe when we least expect it, God will make known His desires for us, if only we keep asking and listening.


Copyright 2021 Nikki Lamberg
Image: Canva Pro