On some days — like today — we invite you to engage in the same practice over multiple weeks. Our desire is that by weekly repetition we do more than have a one-off experience. Rather we build a new spiritual habit.

Listening to Jesus is a spiritual muscle that must be exercised regularly that we might grow in our attunement of Him by the power of the Holy Spirit. With that in mind, we are taking 8 Fridays in a row while focusing on the discipline of submission to strengthen our listening muscles.

If you have been engaging weekly, you are in week 3 of 8. Keep it up! If you are just now joining us in this journey, welcome! Sometimes God works best in our lives not in the constant chasing after the new, but often in the faithful and regular engagement of the old. May it be so!

 

In part, listening is an act of submission.

When we listen we release control over a conversation, submitting to the terms and direction set by our conversation partner. When we listen to God we submit to our limitations by acknowledging it is only God who can cross the divide between Divinity and humanity. Therefore we wait for God to start the conversation. Sometimes he speaks. Sometimes he listens back. But however he moves, it is always in love. Like all forms of submission, listening is vulnerable. We open ourselves up to God having to trust that he will move toward us in a way of love.

Directions:

Find a quiet place and begin with a time of silence. Focus on controlling your breathing and allow your body to become physically relaxed. Allow for thoughts and emotions to rise to the surface. We want to bring our whole selves into the conversation.

Becoming aware of all those things, we want to open ourselves up to God to listen to him. A good starting place is to simply state what many saints in the Old Testament said when addressed by God, “Here I am.” God may address the things we are feeling and thinking or even the spiritual practices we did throughout the week, or he may be in silence with us.

Set a timer for an amount appropriate for you (e.g. 5 min) and listen in silence before the Lord.