Listening To His Voice

Over the years, I’ve started and stopped a variety of different exercises to help me to center my focus on God so that I can hear His voice.  When I start, I am excited, expectant and eager to learn from Him.  Just to “be” in His presence without my “To DO” list.   There is no other joy that compares in depth and completeness to the times when the aura of peace and contentment floods my soul.   His tangible presence is undeniable and unfathomable.  Words cannot explain it. 

Sadly, the excitement wanes and I drift back into the ways of the world.  There I am swayed into the false belief that ‘doing’ stuff for God takes priority.  In that world, I do not set time aside to sit and be with the Lover of my Soul.  Once my senses return and I become aware of what I’ve done, I grieve; realizing the time I’ve missed is in my past now and lost forever.

Could it be that God had something different in mind? Is it possible that each new way of connecting with God was the way He wanted me to connect with Him but just for a season?  Could it be that my drifting and wondering had a purpose in God’s design?   I thought that once I found something that “fit” me- I needed to incorporate that specific method into my normal routines of life forever.  When I drifted, I failed- once again.  Why even try? If it were not for the purest joy I’ve ever experienced, I, too, may have given up settling to giving the Almighty my “to DO” list, accepting the rote instead of a dynamic relationship.  That is NOT His best for us. I have experienced Him and know better.

We are constantly being changed.  Yesterday, we learned new things: some were good, some evil, some neutral.  We thought about them- either accepted them in totality, in partiality or outright rejection.  That information changed us.  We are different then we were before.  Those of us seeking to follow the way of Jesus are more than likely seeking to learn from Him daily.  As we do, He is transforming us more and more into His likeness.  If we are continually growing and transforming, then it stands to reason that our methods to “be” and “commune” with the Almighty will change.  No guilt.  The key is to keep at it.  Keep showing up.  Keep creating space in our inner world not consumed with matters of this world but rather of His kingdom here.

This week the Holy Spirit is leading me into a different way to focus on Him.  With ear plugs in and instrumental meditative music in my iPhone, I am slowly reading and stopping to ponder the words I read from the Psalms in the Tanakh.  The Tanakh is a translation according to the traditional Hebrew text.

As I pause to ponder a particular verse – I write it down on a 5x 6 index card – putting the address of the verse at the top right and the date on the top left.  Throughout the day and at various times I’ve stopped and reread those verses.  Today I will compile them into one document.  There are a couple of words that I want to complete a partial word study on to increase my understanding.  By the time I close my eyes, I would like to have gone before God and asked him to tell me the overarching theme His was giving to and directing within me.  Then just to “be” there and listen. 

There are so many different types of people.  As the number of different personalities are too numerous to count, so are the ways to commune with our Living Jesus.  May He give you times to commune with Him and may He so touch your heart that you fall in love again with the Lover of your soul.

At this moment I am praying that you have a special way to enter into His presence.  If not, I will be honored to join you in prayer that God will show you and give you the ability to recognize His leading.