Can I hear God just like that?

Can I hear God just like that? No.

I don't know if others can but I cannot. I can talk to Him anytime but I don't hear Him just like that. It's not a given. I can't just demand He talk to me. I'm not talking about when God suddenly prompts you or nudges you with a warning etc. He can do that anytime He wants to, that's for sure. But I mean I cannot have a two-way conversation with Him just like that. I have come to the realisation that I need to reach a certain level of prayer or be in deeper connection with Him before I start to receive His flowing promptings. Sometimes, it only takes saying a simple prayer, a phrase or two or a praise song or praying in Tongues. Sometimes, it takes much more before I hear anything. But, the conditions have to be right. I cannot be distracted with things not of Him. If I am too busy or frivolous, I get nothing. If I'm too concerned about the ways of the world, if I'm rushing about or not in a right state of mind, I cannot hear Him, no matter how hard I try. However, I must add that I may be in a 'weak' state of mind, like being worried or troubled but if I centre my attention on Him, I may still hear Him.

Yesterday was perhaps a busy day for me (thank you, Lord for keeping me healthy enough to have still busy days). Busy, busy at work (with issues, issues and more issues) and when I returned home, busy with an elderly parent who was well how do you say this politely? Uncooperative and not on very good behaviour? (I might talk about that another time. Let's see how that goes). We were having a nice conversation over dinner with our kids when we were....rudely disrupted by an 'incident'.

A flurry of commotion followed. A slight chaos. I wanted to pass a multitude of comments. I wanted to admonish. Instead, I bit my tongue. My head was pounding and I was feeling confusion. I could feel my blood pressure rising. After I tried to calm myself down, I sat down on the couch (quite helplessly because there was nothing else I could do) and closed my eyes. Ordinarily, I might even ask God, WHY ME? But I just asked God to please forgive me for my sins and asked Him instead what He would have me do. 'Lord, what would you have me do? Holy Spirit, please come and just overwhelm this situation. Find me a way when I do not know the way, Lord'. Earlier, when I had been moving about, I couldn't hear any promptings from God. But now that I was seated quietly, very quickly, I heard Jesus say to me, "Peace be with you, my child, peace be with you". 

Honestly, I've heard Him say this through other people's messages but I don't recall ever hearing Him say that to me directly. He kept repeating that phrase to me. I asked Him why even though I knew why. He then encouraged me to 'wait upon the Lord for just a little longer'. He reminded me to have the 'peace of the love of Christ'. I sat there in amazement. Jesus KNEW I was so troubled. He knew I was so angry. So upset. So disappointed. So troubled. So everything unkind. Yet Jesus KNEW and loved me enough not to leave me alone. He had sent me those words to comfort me and encourage me. I also saw it as a kind warning to me that I had to try to see the love of Jesus in everyone's face. Even if it pains me so. Only Jesus knew what to say to me at that moment. He did not leave me alone. Jesus was with me. Jesus IS with me. He is fully aware of the cross I bear and He shares in my suffering. That is so wonderful and so beautiful. I told hubby later that I was becoming a cry baby because of Jesus. I feel touched when I receive communion and sometimes I choke up with tears. I want to cry when I think of the love Jesus has for me. It's just so beautiful, this love God has for us. So wonderful.