When I heard God's audible voice

“Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire!"

His voice reverberated down into the very depths of my soul.

His voice thundering & authoritive in my right ear.

I awoke, my senses shocked, in awe at what I had seen & heard.

It looked like an olive tree. Its leaves withered & dry, about to fall off.

It was so clear. As if I was there.

I had fallen quickly asleep after noon, just wanting to rest my eyes a bit.

It was during a chaotic season in my life where I was too restless to even take naps, so the nap itself was out of the ordinary.

I plopped myself onto the pile of soft blanket & pillows, sun streaming in through the blinds.

Next thing I knew, God was speaking to me.

That verse, Matthew chapter 7 verse 19 word for word, just like that.

I didn't doubt it was God.

His voice left me in awe. I woke up hardly believing what just happened, mouth hanging open trying to grasp at the meaning of that verse spoken directly to me like that.

It wasn't just a still small voice, no...I still felt my right ear vibrating with the words that had resonated into my entire being.

His deep voice boomed, yet was so full of love at the same time. A rebuke. Meant for me. Although, I didn't realize it till about a year later.

After I had gone through the biggest trial of my life, only then, did I finally heed His voice. Maybe one day I will go into depth on that. But for now, let me go on.

Slwoly, I stopped being so obsessed with end times as if I had no hope. Worry was wracking at me till I despaired, burdened with the stress of souls needing to be saved, pushing people away with harsh words oblivious to my own self righteousness...

Until I had to be pruned. In such a way that it strengthened my faith, in Him. That is what it took. My life had to be shaken for me to wake up.

I began to know Him more, like really know Him. His love, His goodness, His kindness, His grace, His mercy...

It is only by His grace that I stand here today telling this testimony of being brought through the fire.

How He kept me. How His love softened me. The next time He spoke to me, He did so more gently. It was the beginning of a new chapter.