Listening for God
Setting a foundation
Have you ever wondered why sometimes no matter how much you keep praying and hunting for God's answer, you can't seem to find it anywhere? Here's a way to set yourself up for success by building a foundation from which to start.
There are many ways to hear the “voice” of God. From that still quite place inside of you that directs your daily life, to the words a stranger says to you at just the right time, but we first need to set a foundation that we revisit frequently so we can be in tune to these magical moments.
A great place to start is early in the morning. Fnd a quiet place – out in nature is best – a place under the tree, a lounge chair by the pool, a blanket on the grass, where you can be still with no interruptions. Bring a few pieces of paper and a pen. Sit down in your quiet place, take a deep breath, release your breath slowly, and take another deep breath, release again. Look around you. Pay attention to what you’re looking at, give each thing you look at your time and complete attention. Start to focus, I mean really focus your eyes on one thing, maybe a flower or a leaf. Come closer to it and start to observe the details. If you choose a leaf, look at the shape of it. Outline it with your mind. Look at the lines it makes throughout the leaf. Imagine the water running through these “veins” to nourish the plant. Imagine the nutrients being given to the plant to sustain its life. Now back up your gaze and look at the color. Look at how vibrant the green is. Notice any imperfections in the leaf and accept them as part of its beauty. Now you see a masterpiece and you know whoever or whatever created it must have been so intelligent and wise.
Start to look around at the other things in nature surrounding you. Look at how beautiful and wondrous they are as well. Their creator knew what joy this would bring us. But their creator also knew we’d find it within ourselves to protect them. To realize their majesty and importance to the fullness of life.
For me, they are a part of me now. I am a part of them and they are a part of me. I am connected to them and the earth and soil that support them, so much so that a deep sense of peace and calm and “knowing” comes over me. I am connected to the spirit – the spirit that made me and put me on this earth to coexist with every other living thing, some things easier to understand the reason why than others. And I “get it”. I get “my place” in the universe. All my problems that seemed so big to me before now seem so insignificant and small. I can take a step back now and see the bigger picture, where I fit in, and now, the answers just seem to come to me. They flow just so easily and I grab my piece of paper and pen to right them down. Ah, what a great “inner therapist” – just being still listening to that inner voice which is God. He envelops his love onto me when I show him kindness and respect – when I slow down to his pace, “his language”, “the language of nature” in all it’s infinite wisdom.
I know for some of us nature is not so easy to understand, for it’s not all rosy and beautiful, but it all has a reason and it’s not always up us to figure out. I can just sit still and enjoy what God has given me and appreciate where I am at. And where I am at is just fine. How about you...Where are you at? Would you like to come together on this journey and figure it out along the way? I hope so, and remember, once you get good at this closeness with God, you’ll be able to walk out in nature and just “naturally” do this meditative practice of observation. Then you can take that foundational practice out into the world and be so much more in tune to God all around you! Enjoy!