Wouldn’t it be nice if as you went about your morning, you heard God speaking to you clearly?
“Bill, it’s time to take a shower. You don’t want to oversleep again.”
“Um, Jill, I think you’ve had enough coffee…”
“Ted, I think we should talk for half an hour before you jump on that computer.”
“Sarah, don’t you think that guy over there could use a hand? Better get over there quick.”
To be honest, I wonder if it would only make our discomfort at doing God’s will more apparent. Often enough we just question whether we have really heard God, discounting his voice as a sore stomach, a daydream, etc. There would be no hiding behind our last meal if we all heard God speak to us loud and clear.
“Everything that is now hidden or secret will eventually be brought to light. Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand! And be sure to pay attention to what you hear. The more you do this the more you will understand – and even more, besides. To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them.”
Mark 4:22-25Mark 4:22-25
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
22 ; . There is nothing hidden that will not be made public. There is no secret that will not be well known. 23 If you have ears, pay attention! 24 ; . Listen carefully to what you hear! The way you treat others will be the way you will be treated—and even worse. 25 ; . Everyone who has something will be given more. But people who don't have anything will lose what little they have.
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The “habits” that we call spiritual disciplines help us to be receptive to God’s voice, and that makes them powerful. For instance, the practice of prayer reminds us that God is not only willing to speak, but willing to act. It also helps us to stop – to put away the static and distraction that keeps us from hearing God’s voice. The practice of fasting can free us from the normal routine and and make us ready, heart, mind and body, to respond in a new way. Finding just the right place to worship (whether near or far away) might be a powerful agent in allowing the Holy Spirit to speak in a way that alters life as you know it.
We make it a habit to try to divorce the “real” and “natural” from the “spiritual”. This is an unfortunate by-product of the age we live in. But it is not the way God looks at the world. He created it, and considers it important – valuable and useful. We often approach prayer in this way: “I can pray anywhere, since God is always available.” And this is true. But you may find that God provides a certain environment that helps you to focus on Him better. That reminds you of his love or power. That is nothing to sneer at, and we ought to take full advantage of the way we have been made! We may be accurate when we think, “God does not care the posture of my prayer, but the heart behind it.” But it is amazing how the body can respond differently to prayer or scripture reading when it is done sitting, laying down, kneeling, at the computer, eyes closed, eyes open… No, there is no magic formula for godly “reception”. But we must not discount the way we worship and respond and listen for God with our bodies. We are both physical and spiritual beings.
So we see these two together. Spiritual habits help us learn to be receptive. Spiritual disciplines are not just spiritual activities though, they are deeply physical, and require us to place our whole body before our Lord. That is the way we will be receptive and begin to hear his voice more clearly. They are “practice” or “exercise” and require customization for each of us to have the effect God desires. They require commitment over time if we are to see results. And they themselves do not produce the results, but provide the opportunity for the Spirit to work in us.
God is calling us to place our entire being before him, and Lord-willing, that is what we will do.
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