It’s been posited that God speaks to us through circumstances: blocked pathways, dreams, feelings, inspirations, music, nature, symbols, tender mercies, thoughts and visions. Some say he communicates through the community of believers, prayer, scriptures, sermons, wise counsel and His very creation. Some cite inner knowledge and one’s own mind.
We are told that we need to learn to build trust in Him, detect His voice, learn how to turn on our spiritual receiver, open our heart, etc. It is suggested that we must have complete faith and trust in God, pay attention to tiny voices, chedule time for God regularly, stay open, etc., and remember that we are important to God.
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Many claim that God talks when there is a sense of feelings of happiness and peace, and while serving others. Prayer is a form of conversation with God, they add.
Another viewpoint: God does not speak anymore with humans. When somebody claims that God talks to them, it might be their mind playing tricks with them.
The ancient Shvetashvatara Upanishad tells us: “Know him to be enshrined in your heart always. There is nothing more in life to know.”
We asked our panel: How do I know that God is speaking to me?
Put these things into practice
Bryan Smith, lead pastor, Summit Christian Church, Sparks
In 1 Samuel 3, Samuel heard God’s voice but didn’t recognize it. Gideon had a physical revelation of God’s guidance in Judges 6. For most of us though, hearing God’s voice or experiencing a physical revelation from won’t materialize.
For us to hear God’s voice, we first have to belong to him. Second, we have to spend time with God. This can happen through prayer, contemplation and/or time in the Bible. We begin to discern God’s voice over the noise of our world as we give time to these disciplines. The Holy Spirit begins speaking to us. We begin to hear God through those around us, circumstances and even our conscience.
This is all predicated on relationship with God and time spent in his presence. Anything less will muddy the waters immensely and make his voice difficult to recognize. The beauty is that God desires to speak to us.
The belief
Kenneth G. Lucey, philosophy/religion professor emeritus, University of Nevada
How does anyone know that someone is speaking to him? Clearly, one knows that someone is speaking to him by receiving some message. Knowing the source of the message is another matter altogether. For example, Moses seems to hear a voice communicating with him from a burning bush, and assumes that the voice is coming from a deity. What does Moses actually know in this case? Clearly, he believes that he is receiving a communication from a supernatural source, and his evidence is that he hears a voice from a bush that appears to be burning without being consumed. Moses believes he is in contact with a non-human source and given his evidence, he would appear to be justified in that belief, as would anyone else in a similar situation. Knowing the exact nature of that source is another matter completely. The evidence is compatible with various explanations.
Through His words
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Sherif A. Elfass, president, Northern Nevada Muslim Community
Allah (SWT) is closer to us than “our jugular vein” (50:16) and always listens to our prayers and supplications (2:186). He also speaks to us, but not in the same manner we speak to each other (42:51). When Allah (SWT) speaks, we do not hear Him, we feel Him. It is like when we feel that God answered our prayers. Allah (SWT) speaks to the believing Muslims through the Quran. For example, when we read the Quran and come across, “O’ who you believe” we know that Allah (SWT) is talking to us. When we are confused and need help, and read the Quran, often we read a verse which shows us the path. When we need guidance with a worldly affair and pray “Istikhara,” Allah (SWT) will reveal signs to point us to the right decision. This is how we know when Allah (SWT) is speaking to us.
When I feel loving intention
Pamela A. Pech, creator of discovery of Self Programs
I love this question, because I ask myself that every day when ideas and plans come into my thoughts. I especially believe that God, in the form of the Holy Spirit, fills my heart, my soul and my entire being with happiness and joy through inspirational thoughts and ideas that can create a positive outcome. When there is an inner knowing that both my intention and purpose of my thoughts are for overall good and founded in love, I believe God is the Source. I also rely on words that have been attributed to Socrates and sometimes even to the Buddha: ”Is it true, is it necessary, is it kind, is it helpful?” There are other versions of this, but these questions hold me to a true course — ideas that I believe come from a powerful, positive, highest consciousness energy Source which I believe to be the definition of God.
Please listen to reality
Matthew T. Fisher, resident priest, Reno Buddhist Center
Buddhism is a nontheistic worldview, so we do not seek or experience conversations with God. While higher beings exist, their ability to fundamentally change our life is quite limited. Even their station as gods is finite and will end in time, followed by another birth for them in the six realms.
The true and ultimate reality around us can be said to “speak to us,” as a majestic waterfall or the crashing surf can “speak to us.” In this way, when we open to the “ground of all being” we experience joy and awe, sometimes even fear. Seeing beyond our limited and selfish self is what can free us. Listening to reality around us is important. It can be cultivated through Dharma practice. We pursue spiritual growth. Reality is always “speaking to us,” all the time, giving us hints that lead to the end of suffering for all.
A still small voice
Micheal L. Peterson, northwest Nevada media specialist, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The spirit of Christ is given to every man and woman that they may know good from evil (Moroni 7:16). This spirit is often referred to as the Holy Ghost. While we all have the opportunity to have God speak to us, the ability to receive such communication takes effort on our part. There is no easy way to describe how to know that God is speaking to you except to say that when spiritual promptings are received, they are usually accompanied by a sense of confidence and security, not doubt and fear. Strong emotions such as anger, fear and hate can overcome our ability to hear the spirit (1 Kings 19:12). A prophet once said that it’s like eating sweet grape and hot pepper together. Both tastes are present but one completely overpowers the other. Essential personal growth will come as we diligently strive to be led by the spirit.
Whispers and mirrors dimly
Dawn M. Blundell, senior pastor, Epworth United Methodist Church, Fallon
A light in the mind, a touch of the heart, a stirring that pushes me to do something — these are some ways I experience God speaking. But there are so many examples of people claiming that “God told me” to do something awful that it’s always important to consider whether what we hear is God speaking, or own delusion or ego. In CS Lewis’s “The Chronicles of Narnia,” the Jesus figure — Aslan the Lion — explains why the Pevensie kids were brought to Narnia: to get to know him, so they could recognize him in their own world. So that’s the challenge. Get to know God well, so that you can recognize it whenever God shows up. So that you can discern whether a thing is “God’s will” or not. It involves a lot of reading, praying, learning, and doing … with generous portions of openness, humility and love.
Reflection and discernment
Karen A. Foster, minister, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Northern Nevada
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This question presupposes a traditional view of God, who speaks to us directly and personally. I favor a more expansive view of God, as a force of love and goodness that pervades the universe, the energy of aliveness.
Perhaps the universe, our own intuition, and God, however we define God, conspire to speak to us. We cannot know with absolute certainty the source of the message, but perhaps we can discern that when something resonates and appeals to our higher selves, we can trust that instinct. We shouldn’t assume that it might be exactly what we want to hear; just the opposite may be true. Our next right steps might be the most difficult path and require much courage. When we feel “spoken to,” the message must also stand the test of time as we reflect and engage a process of discernment. In other words, impulsiveness has no place here.
Discernment is an art
ElizaBeth Webb Beyer, Jewish rabbi
Essentially, G-d speaks all of the time, but we often fail to hear it. Sometimes G-d speaks to us through family, friends, during sacred study or through circumstances. The Sages say that everything that happens is divinely inspired (Psalms 33:13-14). Thus, everything from the family we’re born into, the people we meet, the places we visit, the ups and downs, are all from G-d.
When we “hear” G-d “speaking,” we need to use discernment through logic, knowledge about G-d’s ways, and even check in with someone else, like a friend, study partner or rabbi, as a sounding board for big or life-changing decisions. G-d will not suggest something that directly puts us in harm’s way or harmful to someone else. Discernment is an art and part of a relationship with the divine. We get better at hearing G-d, the more actively we listen. Meditation, prayer and study are helpful.
Desire, devote, delete, obey
Stephen R. Karcher, presiding priest, Saint Anthony Greek Orthodox Church
“You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life, but it is they that speak of me” (John 5:39). God wants to speak to us more than we want to hear from him. He speaks through Holy Scripture, but also through liturgy, hymnography, clergy, other people, even the world around us because the “heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalms 19:1).
So then, let me learn to listen. There are four things that will help me hear. First, I must want to hear the voice of God and be open to him. Next, I must devote time for God and prioritize worship, liturgy, and prayer. Third, I will need to reevaluate my lifestyle, because I’ve realized that I have a limited capacity and must delete some things to make room for God. And last, I must be obedient. He speaks when we’re ready to act upon his word.
God speaks through his messengers
Nancy Lee Cecil, Baha’i teacher
Most people have experienced an “inner voice” speaking to them. They variously call it their conscience, their morality or their higher self. Some even interpret this voice as “God speaking to them.” But Baha’u’llah taught us that there can be no personal communication between God, the Unknowable, and humans, because that would imply equity. Rather, the Messengers of God — those originators of the world’s great religions — have made God known to us. Our own transcendent connection to God is through prayer and readings revealed by God’s Messengers, in language imbued with potency that can, in fact, “speak to us.”
Many people hear these voices of Messengers from various religions, but often dismiss them because these religions seem to disagree. But Baha’i Teachings tell us there is a consistent voice to be heard and that all religions are “… divine in origin and their basic principles are … but facets of one truth” (Shoghi Effendi).
Next week’s topic: Is it too late to build a better world?
Faith Forum is a weekly dialogue on religion produced by religious statesman Rajan Zed. Send questions or comments to [email protected] or on Twitter at @rajanzed.
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