Have you ever prayed to God about something you really needed an answer for, something important, but heard no answer? Our tendency during such times is to think God is not speaking to us, but what I’ve learned is that most of the time the problem is on my end. All parents are familiar with the concept of selective hearing, but I’ve found this sometimes describes my relationship with God as well. When I suffer from spiritual deafness, I’ve found two simple questions that help me get unstuck:

Think back to the last big decision you had to make. Perhaps you have recently been engaged or married or divorced. Maybe you weathered a financial crisis or made a career change or had to redefine a relationship with a loved one. Do you remember how you felt while you were deciding what to do? For most of us, decision time is uncomfortable because we know that regardless of the choice we make, there will be consequences.