Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. I Kings 10:11-12 (NIV)
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21
I’m a paper person. I love the feel and smell of paper. Love sharp pencils and new pens. Go gaga over office supplies. Give me a box of colored paperclips and a new stapler and I’m in heaven.
What does this have to do with hearing the voice of the Lord? Plenty.
About ten years ago, I was in a spiritual slump. I mean down and out. A member of the walking dead. A friend encouraged me to start prayer journaling.
What’s that? I knew about journaling. I had diaries to prove it. I knew about prayer. I prayed every day—especially when I was in trouble or had a need. But I had no idea how the two could fit together.
My friend patiently told me how she had learned the technique at a retreat. Just take an empty notebook, she said, (I was interested already—I love notebooks!) and write out the prayers of your heart. That made sense. I was already planning which color to buy.
I’m not finished, she said. Write out your prayer and then stop and listen to the Holy Spirit. Write down what you think He is saying to you. Use a different colored pen for His words back to you. Or a highlighter.
I stopped dead in my tracks. What? That’s too weird! Like automatic writing! It couldn’t be right. Didn’t the Bible say something about not adding or subtracting words?
Most people just talk at God, my friend said. Few stop to listen. Remember the verse, ‘my sheep hear my voice’? He’s more willing to speak to us than we are to listen.
It made sense. I tried it. My life is changed forever.
Every morning I write out my prayers. Whatever is on my mind—praise, thanksgiving, petitions, worries, questions, etc. Then as I read the daily Scripture passages (I use a One Year Bible where portions of the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs are laid out for each day) I copy verses that speak to me and highlight them. Then I stop and listen. I press in closer. No I don’t hear an audible voice—but I feel the words. It’s more of an impression, a sense of God’s presence and message to me. Next I write down what God is saying—either directly to my heart or through scripture.
For instance, this morning I prayed about a relative’s disappointment about a job he interviewed for but did not get. Not only had the job seemed perfect for his skills, but offered better benefits and more money than his present position. The interview went well. The job went to someone else. The Lord spoke these words to me during my prayer time: “It’s a walk of faith. Know that I can keep him wherever he works and that he will learn many lessons where he is.” Then he led me to Psalm 131:2-3 “But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore.”
I have new peace about this person’s disappointment. Not only did I pray about his situation, but I also sought the mind of Christ. When I see him, I’ll know how to comfort him. I’ll say with confidence, God has lessons to teach you were you are. Don’t feel badly; the timing isn’t right for a change. And I’ll share the verses with him.
These fresh words from the Lord are powerful and anointed. When I have shared them with others, I have seen immediate reactions of tears, expressions of gratefulness, and confirmation that God had already been dealing with them about the issue. They are like a secret weapon of the Holy Spirit.
I’ve learned that the mere discipline of writing out my prayers slows my mind and allows me to focus on what I am saying to God. I’m not distracted as when I toss up a prayer while driving or working around the house (although I still pray often in this manner throughout the day). Taking the needed time to really listen to God is a life altering experience.
The best part is that I can go back and reread God’s words to me. I forget what He says! If I start to worry again about my relative’s job situation, I’ll page through my lime-green notebook and read God’s perspective again. I’ll search for those orange highlighted passages that spoke to me during my devotional time. I’ll look for the words written in different colored ink. I’ll ask God to re-affirm His words to me through other scriptures and the advice of Christian friends. It’s a practice that helps me walk in peace.
Why don’t you give it a try?
Dear Lord, thank you for communicating with us. You long for a relationship with us more than we want one with you. Help us to seek you, take time to listen and then apply your words to our lives. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
