One of the
greatest challenges in communicating with God is stilling your mind.
You may ask
"What does stilling your mind have to do with communication with
God"?
Here's the
thing. We all have ideas about God. We have expectations about
God. We expect ways in which God shows up, speaks, works, moves, etc.
These
expectations are the result of religious training, societal training, and
parental training. Then along the way we pick up our own unique ideas
relating to God.
All this baggage
colors our experience with communicating with God.
You could compare
it to communicating with a friend. If you have a strong expectation of
what they're going to say and they say something different, many times you hear
what you expected.
Your response
gives you away and you discover that there has been a breakdown in
communication and if you desire to keep the friendship, some amends must be
made.
It's no different
with God.
If you go into a
relationship with God with all your expectations about how God will speak, what
God will say, etc... What do you think you will hear?
Exactly what you
expected to hear. Then you may go on your way feeling proud of your
understanding of God because He told you exactly what you knew He would!
There's a
marvelous scripture that helps us to understand God a little better.
Isaiah 55:8-9
8 For my
thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than
your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (KJV)
Whenever you get
to expecting God to do or say this or that you may want to reconsider.
There is always
the possibility that your expectations are as far from reality as the heavens
are above the earth.
Once you still
your mind, picture yourself sitting in the presence of God. Don't pretend
to know what God will look like. Just allow whatever comes up to be as it
is. You may notice the urge to tweak the picture based on your
expectations and notions. Try leaving it as it is.
Then you may want
to ask a question - try communicating with God. The answer will most
likely come in the form of spontaneous, free flowing thoughts - you will notice
that they're not your own.
We speak of
hearing God's voice when really very few people actually hear an audible
voice. Most often it's simply this flow of thoughts - thoughts that
haven't been generated by your own mind's efforts of analyzing and deduction.
It's quite possible
that you've heard God's voice before but your expectations prevented you from
recognizing it. Remember, according to the Christ, it is children that
enter the kingdom. If you are struggling with how to hear from God -
you're likely trying to hard. If a child can do it, so can you.
Children just
have the advantage of not having so many expectations.
Scripture
advises: Be still and know that I am God - still those expectations.
Expect to hear God's voice.
Yes you can!
If deeper
communication with God is your goal, you will enjoy a resource I have prepared
"7 Mistakes That Prevent Effective Communication With God".
