Hearing God's Voice
Our small group has been studying Mark Batterson’s book “Whisper” for a few weeks now and it has definitely spurred some great conversations and deep insights. The book is about the importance of being able to quiet the noise, drown out the voices and create an intimate space for you to truly hear the voice of God. For some of you, the thought of that is pretty foreign; for others, it’s something that just hasn’t been a priority in a very long time.
The author speaks about the truth that prayer is essential for us but the area that we are most weak in is the opposite of praying and talking. It’s listening. Actually listening to what God has to say. The idea of a whisper is that you have to get very close to someone. You have to lean in to them and them to you so that you can hear what is being said. I love the picture of that. God leaning into me as I lean into Him. I wouldn’t have thought about it that way had it not been brought up in this study.
Many years ago I found that I couldn’t drown out the noise around me. As a full time working mom with a husband who was a restaurant owner, as well as volunteering for multiple ministries at church, balancing friends, family and a young son, I started to feel pulled and stretched far past my capacity. I put on a brave face daily but inside I was coming unglued. That was the first time in my walk with God that I realized what was missing. Like is the case today, I prayed all the time. In my car on the way to school and work, at night after falling into my bed exhausted, throughout the day as I faced life’s challenges but I wasn’t creating a space for me to hear God speak to me. So I did something drastic. I bowed out of the daily lunches with my fellow workmates and found a nearby park where I ate my bag lunch (saved lots of money doing this) and just got quiet. It was life changing. Because of that simple step, I felt like I could face the rest of my day with renewed strength and a refreshed mind. And, yes, I often heard God speak. Not audibly but in that still small voice, those precious whispers that calmed this tightly strung momma. In those moments I felt like a child again in the presence of my Daddy who knew exactly how to comfort me and make me feel at peace. It was transformative.
In this book “Whisper”, the author talks about how Jesus modeled this for His disciples and frankly, for us today! He was often found alone, quiet and in prayer. After ministering for hours and hours, day after day, He made it a priority to find a quiet place and hear the voice of His Father. He knew that He needed it. He knew that WE would need it. And He was so right. Following His example proved to me that what was missing in my life was time and space for my Father to guide me, to encourage me, sometimes correct me but more times than not, restore me.
If you had to describe your prayer life right now, in this season of your life, in one word, what would it be? If your answer is not what you would like it be, find your place, your quiet spot, your place that you can go to be alone with God. It may be your back porch, your closet, the lake or a beach or your kitchen table. It doesn’t matter. Just find it. Go and create a space where God can meet with you and fill every need that you have. All you have to do is ask! Listen for His whispers. They may not be loud but they are powerful!
