“This is My Beloved Son, listen to Him.” The voice of God at the Transfiguration of Jesus.

“If a person is talking to God it’s called prayer; If a person is says they’re hearing the voice of God it’s called schizophrenia.”  Lily Tomlin

If you could ask God any question, what would it be?

When was the last time you heard God speak to you?  Have you ever?  What was the occasion?  What was it like?  What did God say?

When was the last time you really listened to God?  I mean, really, really, listened, intentionally and without distraction?

Yesterday I attended a conference entitled “Discovering God’s Voice.”  I had been invited by my friend Joe.  Joe is an incredible musician and an inspirational man.

I met Joe in November at a holiday event for work.  He had been invited to provide the musical entertainment, along with his daughter Katie. Joe sang and played keyboard and guitar, Katie sang and played the violin and guitar.  They performed some familiar pieces, a few of them being holiday favorites, and not a few original ones that they had written themselves.  On the ones that Joe had written he would tell the story behind the song, how it was he was inspired to write them.  Though the songs weren’t overtly religious or Christian, it was obvious that they had a very spiritual foundation.  After the performance I spoke with Katie and Joe.  I said to Joe, “You sound like a contemplative.”  “Actually,” he responded, “I consider myself more of a mystic.”  That caught my attention, and so I invited him to have coffee.

During that coffee conversation a few weeks later, Joe recounted some of his life story, and specifically what had formed his faith which he considered foundational for his life.  Joe had been a life-long Catholic, but his life and faith-changing moment came the morning when he discovered his teenaged son dead in his bedroom. He had committed suicide and it had, of course, been devastating to Joe.  He was thrust into a deep, dark pit from which he saw no exit. 

During that coffee conversation a few weeks later, Joe recounted some of his life story, and specifically what had formed his faith which he considered foundational for his life.  Joe had been a life-long Catholic, but his life and faith-changing moment came the morning when he discovered his teenaged son dead in his bedroom. He had committed suicide and it had, of course, been devastating to Joe.  He was thrust into a deep, dark pit from which he saw no exit.  Joe felt abandoned by God, left with so many unanswered questions, and questioning the purpose of faith and life itself. Two years later he was attending a conference and heard a story from the main speaker about a woman who was able to teach people how to listen to God.  Her story was somewhat like Joe’s, only her time spent in that dark place bereft of light and life had lasted seventeen years.  After the conference Joe impulsively went to her website and accidentally or providentially sent her an email.  She responded almost immediately and invited Joe to come and meet her.  It was life-changing for Joe, as he began a journey in which his faith, love, and life itself was restored as he heard God’s voice.

Joe told me that story, in much greater detail of course, over coffee back in December.  I was struck by his sincerity and the authenticity of what he was saying.  He wasn’t speaking like a crazy person, nor did he claim that this was some type of special gift that he had been given.  He was humbly grateful.  I was intrigued and told him that I’d like to learn more.  “That’s wonderful,” he said, “because there’s a conference coming up in February right here in Colorado Springs.”  So that’s what prompted me to spend most of yesterday learning about what it means to listen to God’s voice.

It’s a bit embarrassing for me to write those words.  You see, I’ve always considered myself a spiritual/religious person.  I’ve spent a great deal of my life doing my best listening to God, both objectively as God speaks in The Word, and also subjectively as I believed God was speaking to me, directing and guiding, or through me to others as I pastored, preached, and taught.  I’ve even considered myself a bit of a contemplative myself, as I’ve done my best to intentionally spend time with God, listening to God and others.  But as I sat at that conference I realized that there was an even deeper listening practice possible, a far more intentional one, which would serve to make me even more aware of the still, small, voice of God speaking in such a myriad of ways.

There were many “aha” moments yesterday, but three things especially struck me.  The first is that God really does want to communicate with us in very personal way. Frannie Rose, the speaker, used an abundance of Scripture passages, as well as quotations from many “giants” of faith to bring that point home. The second was just how simple and obvious this practice of listening to God is.  Certainly, God speaks in Scripture, as I was taught and still firmly believe.  But the Bible is not the sole source when it comes to God speaking.  God speaks in nature, God speaks in and through people, God speaks in life events, God speaks in silence . . .  and more.  It’s not a question of where or how God speaks, it is a question of whether I/We are listening?

The third aspect of the conference that struck me was how many people were in attendance.  There were at least 80 people in the room, and more on zoom.  Most of them, from what I could tell, were “religious” people who were seeking to hear God more clearly in their own lives.  It reinforced just how desirous, maybe even desperate, people are to be close to God, and how necessary and beneficial this intentional practice of listening is.

This morning, prior to writing this blog, I started my day by implementing some of what I learned yesterday.  I asked God a question.  Then I listened.  And then I wrote down in my journal what I believe I heard God answer in response.  It was sacred time.  What better way to begin a Sunday . . . or every day for that matter?

If you want to learn more about Listening to God, I would invite you to visit https://www.onesimplevoice.org/