Tag: Hearing God

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Thoughts and reason, but what about the imagination?

Years ago I stumbled across a relatively unknown essay by A.W. Tozer, entitled, ‘The sanctified imagination’. It is well worth reading, though somewhat challenging to find, I managed to track it down again here. This idea caught my attention, it held me and welcomed me as a thought that was both foreign and yet somehow familiar.

In my neck of the woods, we seem to be cerebral people. We live in our intellect, we debate, argue, refine, argue some more, we like to think well and like others to think that we think well. And, other methods of thought and being are somehow relegated to places of less importance. Do we feel? Maybe, but we must never be driven by our emotions. Do we imagine? Perhaps, but let’s not get lost in flights of fancy.

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What do I say yes to?

Some years ago, I was feeling overwhelmed by all the possibilities, opportunities and requests that were coming my way. These were things that I could do, things I could do for and in my church, for friends, for strangers, in my community and beyond. But how was I to know what to fill my time with? In a recent post, I wrote about fruitfulness and significance and how Jesus calls us not to focus on the fruit, but rather to focus on him (click here to view that post). But today’s focus is slightly different.

How do we know what we should be doing? How do we discern what is right and what is not? Should we just embrace each and every opportunity as an open door set before us that we should say yes to? If it seems good, then surely it must be from God? As someone who hates to let others down often, it is easier to simply say yes, or at least that is how it appears. The additional stress that it often places on me, and my family, as a result, may perhaps suggest otherwise.

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The hope of the practice of the presence of God

For as long as I can remember the most fundamental thing I’ve known about reality is that there is an all-powerful, all-loving God who is attentive to us and present in all. This is the bedrock truth influencing and overshadowing everything else.

But, for me, this awareness about God has been partnered with an enduring frustration. Why can’t I retain awareness of God and God’s presence as I live through my life each day? If God holds this prime position in reality, then shouldn’t this colour everything? Yet, much of the time, how I experience the world – what draws and retains my attention, where my thoughts dwell, how my feelings are influenced, the sensations in my body – seems disconnected from that fundamental truth.

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The invitation of Jesus

There is a cry repeated throughout scripture and one that is voiced numerous times by the Son of God himself. Jesus says,

“Come to me.”

Here are just a few instances where this is found in the Bible: Isaiah 55:1-3, Matthew 11:28-30, numerous verses in John 6, Revelation 22:17.

I wonder if often we, myself included, fail to do just this. It is as if we are happy to do things for God, to talk about “God stuff”, to read books about God, to sing and listen to songs about God, to even speak to God. But do we take the time to actually come to him? What would that look like if we did and how would it be different? And what does this mean in practice?

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Hearing God part 2 – How does God speak?

When I was younger, I was terribly frustrated that the Bible didn’t give a blueprint for how to hear God. For it doesn’t. I expressed my frustration to a wise person that I know (also known as my Dad). He said to me that the reason God doesn’t do this is that he speaks in an infinite variety of ways. And he speaks to each person differently. If the Bible told us one way we would all be looking for that one way, instead we have to learn, to seek, and to find. Instead, we each get to go on the incredible adventure of discovering how God speaks to us.

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Why is it so hard to accept that God loves us?

In Christian circles, we are often bombarded with the words “God loves you”, we hear them in our churches, small groups, Christian books, and in song, both those that we listen to and the ones we sing in church. But, there seems to be a problem, a significant disconnect, between hearing these words and coming to embrace them as words that depict our personal experience. That, indeed, has been my journey.

Perhaps you have never struggled with this concept at all, that is wonderful, may you be profoundly and abundantly blessed in every way, feel free to read no further. But if you have, I hope that the following may be of some service to you.

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Tell me about Jesus

I’m not really a fan of small talk. I know my personality type has a lot to answer for here, but as an INFJ, I would rather just skip the small talk, and talk instead about what really matters. Don’t get me wrong, I can talk about the weather just like anyone who has lived for any length of time in this southern city at the bottom of the world. I know that social norms dictate small talk as a safe and comfortable place to converse, I get that many would much rather stay there than delve into meaning and depth of connection.

But if I had a choice, and if I thought anyone would respond with even a little enthusiasm, this would be the question I would ask: Tell me about Jesus, please? Not just about what you know of him or what you have read about him, but tell me about him. What does he say to you, and how does he say it? What does he look like? Can you describe him for me? How have you found him?

Perhaps, you know nothing of this Jesus and these questions strike you as being profoundly odd, if so please continue reading, I hope what follows brings you a little clarity, perhaps you might also like to read this.

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Longing for God and the Gift of the Desert

For many years I longed for God. I wanted to know him, to see him, for a depth of relationship that was neither superficial nor non-existent. But while this was the longing and cry of my heart, my experience was far different. Despite my efforts, God seemed remote. I would read my Bible, I would pray, but the times that God appeared to draw near were rare. For me, this was my reality for more than fifteen years.

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