Learning to Listen to God

I recently had a student ask, "How can I balance my everyday life with my spiritual life?" I told her my immediate answer of: "There should be no separation." However this brought up another question that I'm sure the student meant to ask, "How can I center my life around God in my everyday?" It's a crucial question I'm sure most of Pastors, Ministers or Bible Teachers are waiting for their students to ask.In Job 33:13-14, it is written, "Why do you complain to him that he responds to no one's words? For God does speak-now one way, now another-though no one perceives it." God speaks. This verse speaks about how God communicates with each of us (or at least tries to), but often no one listens. There are many verses that reiterate this same idea; God speaks and longs to show us the right way, but no one listens (Psalms 14:2).So the first step in having a God centered life, that anyone can do is learning to listen and seek God. You can start by giving God your first. As soon as you wake up, instead of rushing to get ready for work, class or spending your time doing something else, give yourself time to listen to God speak; a one on one session with Him. Wake up a bit earlier than you usually do and spend time in the Word, in prayer, doing a devotional, anything that put your main focus on Him. As we continue studying the Word and in prayer, we are able to discern God's voice from the usual clutter of thoughts, ideas and noise that plague our minds.In this very fast paced and noisy world we live in today, we are surrounded by things screaming for our attention. Amongst all of these noises is a small, yet powerful Voice calling us to listen; to listen to the truth and way of life. If we're confused on what to do or where to go, this Voice wishes to guide us.Isaiah 30:21"And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left."John 16:13"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come."Many times, people search for "burning bush" miracles and voices from heaven telling them how they should live. But why would God need to do such things, when that specifically why this Word of God; this Bible, exists? God speaks to those that seek Him and, if I may be frank, if we can't even bring ourselves to read the Word, to give time to God; then how can we expect Him to speak or for us to even hear Him?In John 8:47, he states, "Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God."This is a truth of the Word. If we wish to hear something from God, we must learn the language of God. If we wish for God to be the center of our lives, we must first learn to listen to Him. Don't let the noise distract you. Let's give God our time and begin to process of listening to God once again or perhaps, for the first time.