Hearing the voice of God

Within my devotional time this morning I read Isaiah 30:19-20 "O people of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more.  How gracious he will be when you cry for help!  As soon as he hears, he will answer you.  Although the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them.  Whether you turn to the right or the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it."  The Lord has me in a place that I did not think I would have been four months ago.  I clearly heard the voice of God and begin to take steps of obedience but the steps that I though were leading me to another open door was actually leading me to a time in the wilderness.  I realize when I say that, that some people will say that God does not do that anymore.  My response is simple.  When did God change?  God led the children of Israel through the wilderness, God lead Jesus into the wilderness and by the way the reasons for this was completely different.  Israel went through the wilderness for 40 years due to their lack of faith and Jesus went into the wilderness because of His faith.  The wilderness season is not pleasant but in both of these examples you see God's have of protection, provision and empowerment.  If I need a wilderness experience to grow in these three areas I gladly accept the direction of the Lord so that I can grow in my knowledge of God and to understand His ways.  Going back to the passage of Isaiah we have the promise that when we cry out for help that God's response will always be to come and answer the cry for help.  The wilderness experience helps us to receive and understand God's answer which at times can only happen after we have denied the flesh while in the wilderness.  The most encouraging part of this passage is that God's voice can be heard that will direct our steps according to His plan and not our plan.  My prayer is that I will be more sensitive to that voice and once I hear the voice of God that I will respond in obedience by actually going the direction where He leads. 
May the God who loves us eternally, the God who is constantly talking to us and the God who has our best interest in mind continue direct our steps for His honor and glory.