Thursday, October 14, 2010

Hearing Voices

"God told me I'm going to marry you"

I still remember that day.  My friend came to me and dropped the G-bomb on me.  Apparently, God told her that we're going to get married.  (I was very tempted to her her that people who hear voices belong in institutions.)

Did I believe God speaks to people?  Sure. 

Did I believe it that time?  No.

I think people use "God told me to do this" as a way to rid themselves of any responsibility that may come with the action in question. 

"God told me to break-up with you."

"God told me to burn the Quran."

"God told me to stand on the street corner and yell hurtful things at people."

Apparently God tells people to do all sorts of crazy, destructive, hurtful things.

Maybe I am a crappy christian, but God has never spoken to me in an audible voice.  Sure there have been times where I've felt God leading me to something, but I can't remember any point in my life where I've been able to say "God told me to do this." 

I'd describe God speaking to me, as more of a stirring of my spirit.

In my experience God stirs my spirit through film. 

He stirs my spirit through music. 

He stirs my spirit through nature. 

He stirs my spirit through other people.

So does God speak to me?  I think so, but not in an audible voice.

Verbal is only 10% of communication right?  Perhaps God's audible voice isn't his primary way of communicating with us?  Maybe he uses people to speak for him?  *GASP* Maybe God can use a non-believer to communicate with his people?

How many times has a "secular" (I hate that term) song/show/film spoken to you on a spiritual level?  A number of times while watching Lost, God stirred something in me.  He "spoke" to me. 

I think God is trying to speak to us, to connect with us, but we so often miss it because he's using someone/something we don't expect because it's not "christian".



Does God speak in an audible voice?  I doubt it. 

What about when you get that feeling you need to go talk to someone and it turns out to be exactly what they needed?  Yeah, God can stir up something inside of you, but that is NOT an audible voice. 

I think we can get to a place in our relationship with God where we are constantly in the presence of God, and in that case God can communicate with us through that still small whisper (1 Kings 19:11-12) which is NOT an audible voice.

1 comment:

  1. Like your thoughts. I thought you might be interested in the book "Hearing God" by Dallas Willard. It's a very thought provoking read. Willard's Book on Amazon

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