How to Hear God Amid Divine Interruptions
Our relationship with God should never be transactional. From the story of Mary and Joseph, we can see the patterns of God amid divine interruptions. We can learn from their example how to posture our hearts to hear God’s will for our lives.
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The Birth of Jesus Christ
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ[a] took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed[b] to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall call his name Immanuel”
(which means God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
Divine Interruptions
To some degree, we’re all planners. Everyone is looking to the future with an idea or goal, such as planning a wedding, retirement, vacation, or Christmas party.
As it’s human nature to plan, I’m sure Joseph, Mary’s fiancé, was also a planner. I’m confident of that because Scripture tells us that Joseph was a “just man.” That phrase could indicate several things, but it tells us that he was a man of Godly character. While he may not have always done so perfectly, such a person does think ahead.
It’s probable that Joseph was thinking ahead of his marriage to Mary. What vocation would he pursue to provide for her? What village would they live in? And other things of that nature.
However, Joseph’s planning and nature teach us a lot about the patterns of God. What do we do when our plans are interrupted? More specifically, interrupted by God?
As a believer, if that happens, you have a significant advantage because you have the potential and ability to hear and be led by God. This is one of the significant issues of your life: Being able to hear your Creator and being sensitive and responsive to His voice.
Through hearing God’s voice, the believer will find joy and delight. From Joseph’s story of hearing God’s voice and being led by Him, we can discover four phases of hearing God.
Four Phases of Hearing God
1) Divine Enlightenment
“But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him (Joseph) in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 1:20 (explanation added)
Divine Enlightenment may sound like a New Age term, but this is a biblical term that reveals how the Church would be enlightened by the reality of Jesus and His revelation.
The angel didn’t merely appear to Joseph; the angel appeared to him in a dream. Joseph was human, so, much like us, he probably wondered, “What was that? Was that God, or did I eat something bad before bed?” The point is Joseph had to discern what God was saying.
According to Scripture, hearing God’s voice should be normative for a believer. Psalm 32 tells us that God will “Instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” We also see in Psalm 73, “You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.”
To hear God is to be led by God. It’s the will of God that you know the will of God. However, to know His will, our hearts, and spirit must be alive to commune with Him in a way that we hear His voice.
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105
This is relevant to Advent because Jesus is the light. Jesus is resurrected and at the right hand of the Father. He’s now interceding for us, which means He’s closed the gap between heaven and earth. Not only is our sin forgiven, but we are reconciled with God.
It’s difficult to hear God if our life is filled with background noise. If we’re constantly scrolling our phones, watching television, or finding distractions in this world, it prevents us from entering quiet spaces where we can hear God. Where your heart is is very important for the sake of engaging God.
“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” Colossians 3:15
Sheep are secure in the shepherd’s presence and are postured to hear His voice when they are in a peaceful place. American pastor Tony Evans said, “God says He has the plans. Don’t go looking for the plan, look for God. When you seek God with all your heart, you will discover His plan for your life.”
2) Divine Interruption(s)
I put an S on “Interruption” because when you walk with Jesus, you’ll find that this happens more than once. It’ll happen many times, actually, but it’s not something we should fear. Instead, we should welcome divine interruptions.
“She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21
God’s pattern to recognize here is that not all interruptions are distractions. In other words, a divine interruption is always a call to a proper focus. Every time God gives us an interruption, God also invites us to follow Him.
In her book, Life Interrupted: Navigating the Unexpected, Priscilla Shirer said, “Believing that life interruptions—divine interruptions—are a privilege not only causes us to handle them differently but to await them eagerly.”
What we can validate from Joseph’s story and relate to our lives is that there will be times of divine interruptions. However, we have divine enlightenment when we’re in communion with Christ. We step into that when we are sensitive to His invitation into a divine opportunity through divine interruptions.
3) Divine Interdependence
“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel (which means God with us).” Matthew 1:23 (explanation added)
We understand that what happened in history here is not repeatable; however, when God leads us, He initiates a divine initiative in our hearts and lives. When you step out and follow God’s voice, there are puzzle pieces that He will bring together. It transcends you, and it’s not merely about what He’s doing in and through you but what He’s doing in and through the people around you. God is always weaving a bigger picture than just your life.
Your life is one divine thread among many divine threads. The implication of your sensitivity to God goes far beyond the lane He’s called you to express in love and ministry. When we step out in what God’s initiated in our hearts and lives, it’s not just what He’s initiating in us. Instead, He’s inviting you to participate in a divine interdependence of His orchestration.
4) Divine Enablement
“…before (Joseph and Mary) came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.” Matthew 1:19 (explanation added)
Since Joseph was a just man, he didn’t want to dishonor Mary, which is why he was going to divorce her quietly. Joseph was uncomfortable with the circumstances because he didn’t fully understand what was happening, so he likely prayed, “God, change my circumstances.”
Sometimes, God doesn’t want to change our circumstances. Instead, He wants to change us amid our circumstances. What God’s doing in you is far more important than what God may choose to do through you. Because God knows if your roots are healthy and developed in Him, the fruitfulness of your life will take care of itself.
The circumstances around Joseph stretched him outside of his comfort zone. He didn’t like the situation he was dropped into. However, as Joseph leaned into God, He gave more light and revelation to Joseph’s weakness. God gave Joseph a greater understanding and developed him to play a key role in the development of the Son of Man as he raised Jesus for the glory of God.
We have one life, and it matters. You don’t want to journey this without the capacity to hear God. Lately, I’ve been reading 1 and 2 Samuel and the life of David. You see the battles he fought, his mistakes, and their consequences, including the breakdown of his nation and family. But he continued to pursue God.
I love it when David says in the Psalms, “God, you are my God.” There’s something special about that.
In his book, And He Dwelt Among Us: Teachings from the Gospel of John, A.W. Tozer wrote:
“Jesus Christ came not to condemn you but to save you, knowing your name, knowing all about you, knowing your weight right now, knowing your age, knowing what you do, knowing where you live, knowing what you ate for supper and what you will eat for breakfast, where you will sleep tonight, how much your clothing cost, who your parents were. He knows you individually as though there were not another person in the entire world. He died for you as certainly as if you had been the only lost one. He knows the worst about you and is the One who loves you the most.
If you are out of the fold and away from God, put your name in the words of John 3:16 and say, “Lord, it is I. I’m the cause and reason why Thou didst on earth come to die.” That kind of positive, personal faith and a personal Redeemer is what saves you. If you will just rush in there, you do not have to know all the theology and all the right words. You can say, “I am the one He came to die for.” Write it down in your heart and say, “Jesus, this is me—Thee and me,” as though there were no others. Have that kind of personalized belief in a personal Lord and Savior.”
Embracing Divine Interruptions
Each of us was made for divine contact with our Creator. There’s a mediator between God and man in Jesus Christ. As we repent our sins and turn to Him, we experience His divinity.
If our relationship with God is transactional, we become half-filled cups trying to overflow. That is not a place of joy. Our hearts and souls are to be postured in a way that develops us to hear God. This relationship with our Savior is designed to be living and experiential.
However, when it’s real, and we relate to and love Jesus with our heart, soul, mind, and strength, there will be fruits from divine enablement. This will enable us to hear, much like Mary and Joseph did, His voice through His word, God’s nods and holy nudges.
Sons and daughters that are of God and led by His Spirit will have a sensitivity to the divine interruptions, which are really just divine invitations to move with God. You have the ability and joy to participate in His divine interdependence and the grander story for His glory.
TL;DR
The blog discusses how to hear God amid divine interruptions, using the story of Mary and Joseph from the Bible.
It emphasizes the importance of being sensitive to God's voice, embracing divine interruptions as invitations, understanding divine interdependence, and allowing divine enablement to shape our lives.
The relationship with God should not be transactional but experiential, leading to a deeper connection and participation in God's grander story.
Related Reading
Embracing Divine Opportunities by Rev. Paul Lawler
The Gift of a Savior by Rev. Paul Lawler
What is Advent by William Merriman
