“Prayer is not a monologue, but a dialogue; God’s voice in response to mine in its most essential part. Listening to God’s voice is the secret of the assurance that He will listen to mine.” This quote by Andrew Murray was cause for concern in my early years as a Christ-follower. How are we supposed to hear from God and how do we know it’s God when He speaks? We wonder, “Perhaps the voice I am hearing in my head is my own, or maybe Satan himself trying to derail me?” Maybe it’s like Scrooge as he tried to dismiss the voice of Jacob Marley, “Perhaps you are a bit of undigested beef,” as he wondered if what he ate earlier caused him to see and hear this apparition.
I got great more clarity when a pastor friend of mine explained that God often speaks to us as “an interruption of thought.” As I quiet myself, my mental commotion dies down, and a crystal-clear thought often dispels all the others. When God is trying to get my attention, it’s not just some random interruption. It’s a clear, succinct thought that provides peace and offers help. The wisdom and clarity presented are far beyond my ability to conjure up in that moment, leaving me more convinced than ever that the message is divinely inspired.
As that clarity comes, I write down those words just as I have written my thoughts and feelings, but I’ll highlight the current words of wisdom. I may need to keep writing to finish getting my feelings out, but I can come back later to those words of insight for the answers that I am seeking. Then I read and reread the counsel they offer me.
Please understand, I am not one of those people who claim, “I do whatever the voices in my head tell me to do!” The interruption of thought I am referencing here is uncluttered by confusion and unencumbered by fear, and it possesses a power to bring peace and an assurance that it is the Truth. The old saints of the Church would often call that one’s “Inner Witness” referring to the voice of God in each of us who follows Him, or the presence of the Holy Spirit seeking to guide us from within.
I have been blessed by my friend’s explanation and as I have spent my prayer time listening as well as speaking, it has changed my life. Few of us like the word discipline, but this is a discipline I am grateful to groom. It doesn’t get any better than hearing from the Creator of life itself and the lover of my soul…and yours.
I pray during this holiday season you can spend some time listening to the Lord. I think that could be the greatest gift you receive this year.