God speaks. We listen. This is one of the ways we live as rooted and grounded in love (Eph. 3:17). Yesterday we explored listening to God through Scripture and creation. Today, let’s look at two more avenues for hearing God.
1 – Internal Experiences. When we are mindful and present to ourselves, we will notice certain feelings and emotions stirring in our hearts and souls. These internal experiences can be ways in which God is communicating to us. Ignatius of Loyola writes extensively about this. The Jesuits, the group he founded, have devoted themselves to this way of listening to God. Ignatius wrote that sometimes we may experience what he called “desolation.” These are internal experiences of faithlessness, hopelessness, fear, lack of love, lack of closeness to God, disquietude, agitation, boredom, apathy, worry or secrecy. He believed that when we experience desolation, it is a warning or caution that something we may be considering doing is not what God wants us to do. On the other hand, we may experience what Ignatius called “consolation.” These are internal experiences of faith, hope, love, closeness with God, peace, tranquility, “great desires” (passion and energy around something that feels true, righteous and good), and transparency. Ignatius believed that when we experience consolation, it may be a sign that something we are doing is indeed what God wants us to do. The reality is that many of us are simply too busy or too distracted to even notice these currents of desolation or consolation within us. We have to learn to be still. To be mindful of what’s happening with us. These interior movements can be one way God tries to lead us more deeply into the ways of love.
2 – Circumstances. Jesus criticized the religious leaders of his day because they were experts at interpreting circumstances like the presence of clouds or the color of the sky and could then discern what the weather would be like. But they were just awful at looking at external circumstances and then discerning what God was up to (Matt. 16). The Bible is clear–God works in the mist of our daily lives. And these circumstances can be signs of his presence and guidance. Henri Nouwen writes, ““When we are rooted in prayer and solitude and form part of a community of faith, certain signs are given us in daily life… The books we read, the nature we enjoy, the people we meet, and the events we experience contain within themselves signs of God’s presence and guidance day by day.” A friend of mine has a habit of saying, “I wonder what God is up to?” We’ll be talking about current events, discussing what’s been happening in the world and featured on the news, and he will say, “I wonder what God is up to?” It’s his way of confessing that in these external circumstances we can see God, if we will just stop to take the time to look.
Spend some time today paying attention–to what’s happening inside of you and to what’s happening around you. Both may be ways the God of love is trying to reach you.
