How to Pray Article Series: Listening to God (Part 2)

This article is part two of 'How Can I Listen To What God Is Saying To Me?' This part discusses a few steps that we can do in order to hear what God is communicating to us.

We would be able to listen to God by becoming more alert, aware, conscious, and reflective in the happenings of our daily lives. Read into the events that happen to you and think about what could God possibly tell you with these events. I usually reflect on what happened during the day and ask myself what God is trying to tell me by these events. Sometimes, I get some insights; there are other times when I do not.

Another way is to pray to God to speak to you. One particular example in the Bible is the story of Samuel. The temple priest Eli, who was Samuel's guardian, told him that if God calls him, he should say "Speak Lord, for your servant is listening."

I apply this advice of Eli in my life so when I need some guidance or even when I just want to be more receptive to God's promptings, I would go through my day repeating quietly, "Speak Lord for your servant is listening." The actual 'hearing' may not come at the end of the day but it's the preparation of my heart to hear that makes the difference.

I also find that having a journal helps me to hear what God is trying to tell me. I know that journaling may not be for everyone and I myself don't really write on my journal daily. But I do strive to write a page or two every so often about my insights on what has happened in my life that week, what I think God's message was. When I look back later to what I have written, sometimes I would notice a theme or a certain pattern and this gives me direction as to how my life should go.

If you want to really be in tune with God and hear His voice, you must study or reflect on His Word. Because when you do, you will learn more about His mind. Then the Holy Spirit makes that Word applicable to you at the times when you need God's guidance and wisdom.

As St. Paul said: "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness." So we read, and we listen to what God tells us in His written Word. And then we try to let what we read or what we heard stay with us and hence we grow gradually in His wisdom.

Once we have practiced all these, how will you be able to know that the little voice inside you or your insights regarding his messages are from Him? We must weigh and measure it using God's Word as the basis. God will never contradict His Word, which is the reason behind studying the scriptures. We cannot just depend on our feelings, we need the scriptures to guide us, A message from God and another source can both feel 'right' since our heart is able to justify and rationalize for us the things that we want.

How long will it take for you to 'hear' God? God will not come just because we asked Him to, it is God's own decision as to how or when he will communicate with us, that is why it is important for us to open up ourself to Him at all times to be able to hear Him. We don't just listen to him when we need His guidance. Listening is part of our relationship with God.

Listening requires discipline and I must admit, it is a discipline that at times, I lack. In the hustles and bustles of life, I don't always listen to him attentively or sometimes I don't listen to him at all. But times when I do, what I hear becomes food for my hungry soul.

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