How to Listen to God…
Written by Tony Duppong
Step 1: Stop
Slow down. [Breathe].
Stop. [Breathe].
Rest. [Breathe].
Reflect. [Breathe].
Just be(loved).
Listening to God Isn’t About How Hard You Try
For so many who are seeking a deeper, more connected spiritual life, the culture of the world around us directly influences how we understand and relate to spiritual practices. Often, many are led to believe "listening to God" is something to be achieved. Culture suggests that discipleship and spiritual growth are about working harder and doing more; more rigorous study, more rigid discipline, more effort. This understanding of spiritual and personal growth is deeply problematic and, quite simply, directly opposes the true ethos of contemplative Christian tradition.
Here's the problem...
The assumption at work underlying the "Do more. Work harder" mindset is about determination and control. When this posture is the basis of understanding, spiritual growth becomes all about me. In the end, I determine my own formation. What I am able (or not able) to achieve has everything to do with me, and nothing to do with the involvement of God in the process at any level.
If I understand that the way to listen to, discern, and hear from God is about doing more, trying harder, and forcing rigid commitment - I also risk accepting some relatively destructive ideas as truth:
If you're not hearing from God, it's because you're not trying hard enough.
The people who can really listen to God are the ones with the best academic acumen.
You're the problem and you're the solution. You decide whether you fail or succeed.
Timeout. Just Stop... and Be(loved)
The trajectory of Christian mystic traditions is in the opposite direction. "Listening to God" is a practice in freedom from "do more" determinism.
Listening to God isn't about doing more. Actually, quite the opposite. It's about doing less.
The assumption of this posture is that God is the active agent. Not you. Spiritual growth, listening to God, discernment, personal change, life transformation, deeper spiritual awareness - these are all things that you cannot do for yourself. They have nothing to do with work that you do. God does this work.
So, how are we involved?
We are not passive observers in this formation process. We still need to show up - which does require some intentionality on our part. “Showing up" is far less about effort and more about posture. It's about how we approach and present ourselves towards God. In this regard, we don't show up by working harder or doing more. We show up by doing less. Mindfully and intentionally, we have to stop.
Surrendered Space
Stopping is the first step towards "surrendered space." This is the space of contemplative prayer. Surrendered space is the meeting arrangement in which your soul may experience communion with the Spirit of God.
To surrender, in this regard, is to shift from a posture of determined willfulness to willingness. A posture of willingness is a resolution to set aside personal interests, agendas, strategies, and self determination. It is an embodiment of the statement, "not my will, Lord, but yours." The foundation of surrendered space is an internalized trust that you are God's beloved. God's desire for you is fullness, communion, and revelation of your most true self. From here, a deeper and more meaningful union can take shape. I am free to surrender my agendas and my reliance on my own capacities and strategies when I can honestly say:
"God, I trust you with my heart. I trust your guidance. I trust that your intentions and my best interests are aligned, I trust that you know me better than I know myself. I trust you to carry my hopes and dreams with profound consideration. I trust you to encounter the wounds in my soul with sensitivity, care, and compassion. I trust that when all of me encounters you, I will not be met with a Spirit of judgment and guilt, but with a Spirit of courage and understanding. I trust that you will heal the pain that I can't heal myself. I trust that you will liberate me from the restraints I can't free myself from. I trust that I am your beloved."
Contemplation and Centered Living
The disciplines and spiritual exercises associated with contemplative prayer are often misinterpreted or misunderstood through the lens of culturally induced determinism. We think "discipline" means "work for." Thus, we tend to believe that we are the determinants of our own ability to listen to God.
The reality is that the experience of spiritual intimacy with the Spirit of God is a gift. All of it. We can't work hard enough to earn or deserve this gift. Yet, God gives it freely to anyone who will simply stop and receive it.
If surrendered space is the meeting place, contemplative disciplines are merely guiding methods for creating that space. They are tools to guide us towards the sacred. They have no inherent power in themselves. They simply create space.
We offer Centered Living: Rhythms for an Integrated Life periodically throughout the year, in rotation with our other ReWireU courses.
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Some of these contemplative practices are deeply rooted in centuries of Christian mysticism. Others are more modern. And sometimes, they are a combination of ancient and contemporary. In ReWire's course "Centered Living: Rhythms for an Integrated Life," we explore a number of these contemplative tools as a community while we discuss how these tools can form the rhythms of a deep and intimate spiritual life.
From lectio divina, to St. Ignatius' examen prayer, to silence and solitude, to sabbath, Centered Living is far more than a simple "how to" manual. As a community, we'll learn from the wisdom and insights of mystic tradition as we encounter the source of true transformation and full life together. Along with practical insights and collaboration towards establishing rhythms of consistency in community, Centered Living is a 10-week introduction to an integrated spiritual life.
