Hearing God’s Whisper
By - Posted on May 23, 2011
Sometimes God speaks to me in whispers. Sometimes He shouts to get my attention.
But I am not hearing God at all right now. My prayer life has been so dry. Desert dry. I find myself looking for other things to do, just to avoid that dryness. I also find myself making excuses. After all, I have deadlines. I have a heavy schedule.
I find myself avoiding my prayer time. I know God can read my heart. If I sit and try to listen to God, will He bring to my attention something I do not want to know or something I need to change about myself?
Sometimes I fear intimacy. Even intimacy with God. Being open and transparent to others is difficult. It takes trust and I am not good at trusting. And so I resist at times. I don’t always mean to resist, but I do. Maybe this is one of those times.
One way I can usually tell when my spiritual life is in the desert is by the number of books I surround myself with. I keep trying to find that one thing that will inspire me.
The other night I saw a book I had on my nightstand (A Little Daily Wisdom, Christian Women Mystics). Thinking I should bring it to Eucharistic Adoration with me, I opened it up to a page with a quote from St. Teresa of Avila. Here is part of it:
“Here’s what a friendship with our Dearest companion, our holiest God, is like. In it, intimacy is always possible and can’t be stopped, except on our side, for God is always open to us.
So let us close the door on our worldly calendars and deadlines and live instead in the paradise with the God of love… We don’t have to be mystics to accomplish this communion. We only need to focus on God with our will. That’s all. It is our own choice, and because God loves us, we can do this.”
Yes, we can.
We can “focus on God with our will.” We can pray even when we don’t “feel” like it. We can be immersed in the driest desert of our lives. But if we keep faithful, focus on God, then we are praying.
St. Teresa said that intimacy is always possible. God is always open to us. We just need to open the door and let Him in.
Which is what I finally did. I stopped. I sat still.
And I heard God’s whisper.
Copyright 2011 Colleen Spiro
What an encouraging post and one I needed to read today. thank you!
Jean, thank you! I am glad to know that you felt encouraged by this. Amazing how the Holy Spirit gives us what we need when we need it, eh? God bless!
Lovely Colleen! I want to open that door, too! I never thought of being surrounded with books, looking for the right one, as a sign of spiritual dryness. Hmmm…something interesting to ponder there.
Anne, thank you! When I am dry, I look for inspiration like I look for water!
A beautiful post with perfect timing for some of us experiencing similar thoughts. Thank you.
Thank you! I am glad to know this post might help others in the desert.
This is a great post, Colleen. I could very much relate to what you spoke about here. When I am going through a dry period I read a lot of books too and I have to really push myself to pray. Thanks for your thoughts on this!
Mary, oh, it is nice to know we are not alone, isn’t it? Thanks!
Colleen, we are speaking the same language. I’m learning to hear God’s voice, too! Just wrote a book, SOMETIMES HE WHISPERS, SOMETIMES HE ROARS: Learning to Hear the Voice of God (SImon and Schuster’s Howard Books, 1/3/12) There’s a little bit in there about Saint Benedict…love his daily life pattern! Blessings!
Thanks for your comment! I love the title of your book. I will check it out! God bless.