Shhhhh! – Part 1…
The 30-something wife and mother asked if we could talk. She was the most fear based, anxiety ridden, compulsive, and resentful person I think I’ve ever met. Yet, I liked her a lot. Her story and the depth of her honesty touched me deeply.
Why did she want to visit, I asked? She said, first of all, she needed to tell me she was working with a psychiatrist who prescribed medications to help her function.
Then, she said the reason she wanted to talk was because she desired to learn how to hear God’s voice speaking to her personally.
First, I emphasized I was not qualified to treat mental health disorders and affirmed the importance of ongoing work with her psychiatrist.
Next, I told her I was not a theologian and possessed no great knowledge nor any formula about ways to hear God’s voice.
With those disclaimers out of the way, I said to this precious woman, who could have been my daughter, “With all my heart and soul, I do believe God speaks to the heart willing to listen.”
Lastly, I prayed to the God,
who created the universe,
who set every star in its galaxy,
who is all-powerful, ever-present, all-knowing, and,
yet, knows our names and cares about every detail of our lives.
I asked this God—my God, her God—to open the ears of her spirit, enabling her to hear clearly whatever message God wanted to communicate.
I introduced deep breathing techniques coupled with breath prayers, such as:
Inhale: God’s peace
Exhale: My stress
I gave her several scriptures to review and suggested ways to meditate on those that touched her emotionally, explaining that often emotions are mirrors to show what is going on in our souls.
Each Friday afternoon we talked.
Each week she had done everything I suggested.
Each week she reported she had not heard God’s voice.
Then, one Friday, she exclaimed excitedly
“I heard God speak to me!”
“Wow! That’s terrific! Are you comfortable telling me what God said?” I hoped her answer would be in the affirmative.
“Yes!” God said, “Shhhhh!”
A short time later, my new friend told me her husband’s job was forcing the family to move out of state. I wished her well, prayed God’s blessing on her and her family, and asked her to keep in touch, but that was the last time I talked with her.
Recently, I read a Facebook message from another woman who explained how lately, she’s been sensing the need to “Shhhhh!” Her wise and eloquently written message resonated with me. In the next Listening on the Journey… post, I’d like to unpack this matter further.
In the meantime, I pray we make progress in our journey of learning to listen to God…
