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In part 1 of this 3-part series, I mentioned that in learning to trust God, you have to find yourself seeking God. I wanted to spend time talking about what that means. I feel that most individuals have an idea what that entails but when life's challenges come, do we find ourselves doing it. From my perspective seeking God at times can seem such an elusive process. You know sometimes you feel you are really in tune with his plan for your life and other times you really feel like, “Lord can you just give me a clue?” For example, I know that on most mornings I'm going to head down my hallway and open my study door and fall on my knees and pray. That is how I begin most days. In my prayers I include A.C.T.S. (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication), but have to remember to include listening. Why listening? Well after all, isn’t prayer just conversation with God? It seems pretty hard to have conversation when you are the one doing all the talking! So that is why I say listening is just as important in prayer as talking. For instance, I know how frustrated I get when I'm holding a conversation with someone and it seems that they are just waiting for me to finish so that they can say what they want. Especially when they need something from me or are asking me for a favor (my kids do this all the time!) Well if we think of prayer in terms of conversing with God, it should be a dialogue not a monologue, correct? Listen. I can’t very well expect to understand God's will for my life if I do all the talking. It’s like asking someone for directions to some place, but then not letting them talk so they can tell you! In learning to trust in God, we have to allow ourselves to be good listeners for what he is saying to us. Unfortunately, for me that just seems to take so long in most cases. I get impatient because I am used to convenience, convenience, convenience. But as I have learned, that is all a part of trusting the Father. As we grow in our personal relationships with friends or family it takes time for us to develop a bond of trust through actions, conversations and many more events. In my relationships, I don't rely on a feeling of trust with people, I trust them because of their word. When you were a child your parents fed, clothed and cared for you. Because of their actions you trusted them when they said they would do something for you (or to you!). So your trust wasn’t a feeling based on your emotions for that day, but it was from the fact that they followed through on their word time after time. I believe this is the same way with God. The more time we spend seeking after God and listening for his will in our lives; we begin to trust him more and more. One of my favorite preachers says that, "spending time with Jesus changes our perspective". That is so true. I am a witness to the fact that God has so much more in store for individuals that put their trust in his ability--not their own. So when you seek God from this day forward, after you talk with the Heavenly Father about how great he is and you petition him for yourself and others make sure you listen for what he says back to you. Develop the patience it requires to wait for his answer despite how difficult or desperate your current situation might be. Remember that as the disciples feared for their lives while in that ship upon the raging sea, Jesus was asleep in the bottom of that same ship (see Matthew 8:23-27). I've heard many a preacher theorize why he slept instead of reacting sooner. I've heard that, perhaps he wanted to build his disciples trust and faith in him. Quite honestly I just think Jesus was tired. So tired he was sleeping through a terrible storm (I know that I've done that before.) However, this just says to me that no matter how bleak things look from my perspective, because of the time I've spent getting to know God, I can trust that he will deliver me out!

Lord my prayer today is that you help me to hear what you are saying to me. I want to truly conversate with you by making every encounter with you a dialogue. Help me develop an ear to listen to what your will is for me. In Jesus name, Amen.

Suggested readings: Psalm 40:1;62:5-8; Isaiah 40:31;64:4

"Voice of Inspiration" from Andy Castro

Pretzel Love-Psalms 91:14