I used to roll my eyes when I heard people say things like “If it’s
God’s will for me...,” “God told me...,” “then I heard God say to me...”
and so on. I simply didn’t understand these claims of divine contact.
I have always believed in God, I just didn’t quite know how best to
communicate with him or her so that I could actually “hear” what
God was saying. Today, it is my experience that God speaks to me all
day long – the challenge for me is to quietly listen to the message.
I was born with a voice inside of me, generally referred to as my conscience. Since a very young age – before any exposure to organized religion, I can remember hearing this voice, consistently urging me to do the “right” thing in every situation – tell the truth, say you’re sorry, you were wrong, that doesn’t belong to you, don’t say that, that’s not nice, be respectful, you should help, give it a try, don’t be afraid, be a good friend, do unto others, be kind, be patient, have tolerance, don’t judge, take a chance – the list goes on ad infinitum. This is the voice of God within me, speaking to me, guiding me in my life. It has become evident to me, throughout my lifetime, that it is my responsibility to hear the message and follow the direction (easier said than done!).
As I have gotten older (and a tad bit wiser), I have learned that God’s messages to me are best heard through quiet prayer and meditation. This practice and discipline physically slow me down, quiet my mind, and allow me to connect with God on a personal level. I ask questions. I ask for guidance. I ask for help. I ask for forgiveness. And then I listen...quietly listen to God’s reply. God is always with me, has always been with me. I’ve learned that I must take the time – by myself – to quietly pray to hear God’s message for me in this noisy world.
John Lenhart
I was born with a voice inside of me, generally referred to as my conscience. Since a very young age – before any exposure to organized religion, I can remember hearing this voice, consistently urging me to do the “right” thing in every situation – tell the truth, say you’re sorry, you were wrong, that doesn’t belong to you, don’t say that, that’s not nice, be respectful, you should help, give it a try, don’t be afraid, be a good friend, do unto others, be kind, be patient, have tolerance, don’t judge, take a chance – the list goes on ad infinitum. This is the voice of God within me, speaking to me, guiding me in my life. It has become evident to me, throughout my lifetime, that it is my responsibility to hear the message and follow the direction (easier said than done!).
As I have gotten older (and a tad bit wiser), I have learned that God’s messages to me are best heard through quiet prayer and meditation. This practice and discipline physically slow me down, quiet my mind, and allow me to connect with God on a personal level. I ask questions. I ask for guidance. I ask for help. I ask for forgiveness. And then I listen...quietly listen to God’s reply. God is always with me, has always been with me. I’ve learned that I must take the time – by myself – to quietly pray to hear God’s message for me in this noisy world.
John Lenhart
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