Ever wonder how God “talks” or how to “hear” him?

photo by elizabeth carmen

In the past, I’ve struggled to understand this concept of “God talking.” Like, when people say that, do they mean an out-loud kind of talking? (Because I’ve never heard a booming voice…Am I doing something wrong?)

I just finished reading "Let God Talk to You" by Becky Tirabassi last week and have to say, if you've ever wondered whether God "speaks" or how that happens, this is the best book on the subject I've ever read. (And I am an avid reader of books on prayer and such--l-o-v-e this kind of stuff.)

The thing I love about this book is that “God speaking” isn’t left as some illusive idea that leaves you guessing. She walks the reader through, step by step, what this has looked like in her life. How God--his still, small voice--will nudge you. Will plant ideas in your head. Will put people in your life who speak advice or encouragement to you. Will make a Bible verse stand out to you and resonate in your heart. Will remind you of other verses or truths.

She makes no qualms about the fact that God speaks to her daily, and through the book guides the reader through how she’s cultivated this kind of relationship with God and--the key--allowed him to speak to her. I believe this is something we all desire, to have the omnipotent, omniscient Lord speak into our lives, but few of us truly feel that it has ever happened.

As Tirabassi lays out in the book, the most important key in cultivating hearing God was a commitment she began years ago: to spend 1 hour each day with God--reading, praying and listening. (She shares in the book how she approaches this hour-long commitment and what she does during this time, which is really helpful and makes it very do-able.)

The funny thing is, that the Sunday after I read her encouragement to make that kind of daily commitment the pastor at church made a similar encouragement. In that moment, as I heard, for the second time this encouragement to pursue dedicated time alone with God, I felt that this was in fact God speaking to me. No, there was no audible voice. But the realization that this idea (one that would undoubtedly draw me closer to God) had crossed my path multiple times in just a couple days' time and that I felt it was strongly aimed toward me--that was enough to convince me. I decided to step out in faith and obedience and have been trying since to pursue an hour a day with the Lord. Some days it's easy, some days I have to force myself through it and acknowledge that it is a discipline that must be trained into desire.

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