Blocking God

Ever wondered what the world would be like if everyone shared the Spirit of God within them?  Ever since the beginning, God put part of Himself in us (Gen.2:7) and has wanted to be part of us and have a relationship with us since. God has done many wonderful miracles for people to show us that He is God, He loves us, and that His way is the better choice of this world. Even the most drastic thing of all, to give His only Son (Jn.3:16), to show mankind that He loves us. 

For "church folk" this should be a given. At one point in our lives, we said that we understood this. That God was missing from our lives, our lives were a shipwreck, and that we wanted God to come into our lives and hearts. Then....something happened or happens. We take the relationship for granted, we no longer "feel" the need to be so dutiful to pursue a close relationship with God and as long as God is hanging in the shadows, we're in control of things. We'll drag God out if we need Him, but we begin to treat Him like the unwanted relative in the room.  Sometimes we never give God a chance to talk to us. We've made up our minds. We want to do what we want to do, not what God wants us to do. Our hearts are hardened, and we’re unwilling to listen and just don't care. When we close our hearts to God, we cannot hear God's voice calling to us. But if you really want to hear from God you have to understand what is keeping you from from God. They have been with us since Eden.  

1. Pride. Thinking that we don’t need God in our lives and that we can handle things ourselves. Pride keeps us from being open to the possibility that God might want us to choose another path. 
2. Fear. Just like Eden, people can’t hear God speak because they’re afraid (Gen.3:10) to hear God speak. We're afraid that God will see, what we think we have hidden - but God already knows (Heb.4:12; 1 Jn.3:20) 
3. Bitterness. When you hold on to hurt, resentment, or a grudge, then you’re not going to be able to hear God, because your heart has grown cold and made you defensive, even to God’s love.(Eph.4:31; Heb.12:15)
4. Resentment. Resentment is a self-inflicted wound that allows people or things from your past to  to hurt you today. Rather than let go and forgive and get on with your life, These things hold us back like boat anchors.

Jas.1:21,22 states, "Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." 

“receive with meekness” in this passage means you let go of your pride, fear, bitterness and resentment. To stop trying to figure it out on your own and open your mind and heart so that you can hear from the Lord (Heb.4).

Jim