Over the next several days, practice listening. Listen to everything—traffic sounds, nature sounds, speaking sounds, and the sounds of peace and quiet. Try to listen with great attention for five or ten minutes every day. Do this during a coffee/tea break, if that helps.
Then, gradually tune in to God’s voice. This voice will come through many of the sounds you have already been noticing. It will also emerge as you partake of the arts—books, music, paintings, dance, and so forth. You will hear God’s voice during worship or while your children are playing.
Try to spend a few moments each day quietly listening for God. Don’t say anything or ask for anything. Or if you do ask for something, may it be, “God, help me tune in to your voice.”
—Excerpted from Days of Deepening Friendship by Vinita Hampton Wright
We are deluged with all sorts of sounds: pings from our cellphones,
timer of our oven, voices of our love ones, etc. It is already a luxury to just sit down and listen to what God is telling me.
Every morning I pass by the adoration chapel. There I sit down and try to listen. There I lay down everything before Him. HE is in charge. He sings to me ” I Got You Babe.”
So quiet in there and I do not want to leave sometimes. Soooooooooo quiet.
When I leave, I fell refreshed ready to face another day.
Very thought provoking. Thank you and God bless you for all your deep and inspirational insights which you impart so generously to us Vinita. Listening is SO important and something I need to practice to hopefully hear God more often in the whisper.
important and something I need to practice much more.
It is very peaceful to listen to the sounds. I usually tell people that to listen to God is to be in silence. It is harmonious.
Yes, I must learn how to slow down and listen to all kind of sounds. I am always rushing multi-tasking here at home and taking care of my very ill mother. By all means, how much I love to hear God talking to me. However very early in the morning I start with all of my prayers and doing the Rosary. From now on I would say to the Lord, “God please help me tune in to your voice. I definetely would listen to the persons that speak to me, I have the tendency to cut-off them, bad habit. Thank you.
I have always maintained thta God speaks to us – well, at least to me – through thepersons that I come in contact with every day. If you don’t agree or believe me, just try it. Listen to the other guy. but relly listen. God is talking! However, I am going to start listening hard to all sounds, all silences and try to hear God talking. Would not be surprise if He does. Thank you for sharing this!
It is a beautiful thing after we grow up still being able to listen to God in people, in nature, in everything …. Though sometimes an interpreter might be needed 😉