Jeremiah 1:11-12 …”Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see an almond branch.” Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.”

The Lord helps Jeremiah through his first vision. God won’t give Jeremiah that confirmation the next time. He’ll expect him to operate in faith. When the word of the Lord first comes to Samuel, he gets confirmation from someone who has gone before. Gideon gets encouragement before he leads into battle, but then God expects him to move in faith.

I was out on a walk with Dave and fussing about hearing the Lord speak specific things to me when a neighbor stepped out of her house. I didn’t ask for practice, but the Lord spoke to me her age, how many brothers she had, and her mother’s name. She came out to the street, and I joined her. I asked her what was going on. It was her birthday and family was coming over. I got my confirmation.

When I later questioned again about hearing specific things, the Lord closed my left ear for four months. I don’t get to question. I have to just have faith. If He’s given you a gift, He’ll give you whatever else you need as well. Trust Him. And if He hasn’t given you a gift, no amount of practice will make up for it.