Hearing God's voice

[cmscms]

Hi Everyone,

I was wondering if people could share experiences when they just knew God was speaking to them.

For example when I have a problem and I don’t know how to handle it, I pray to God, yet I don’t feel I hear what He wants me to do about it. I was wondering if it is because He does not feel there is anything for me to know at the moment or if there is some kind of sin blocking me from hearing him

Thanks

CM

 

[Nelka]

Matthew 7:7-8 'Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. Everyone who asks receives; everyone who searches finds; everyone who knocks will have the door opened.

Remember; “Thy will be done”.

:bible1:

 

[Jesus_123]

:bible1:
“How precious also are thy thoughts unto me,
O God!
how great is the sum of them!
If I should count them,
they are more in number than the sand …”
Psalms 139:17-18b

+Taking care to prepare one’s soul to “hear” the . . . Voice of God . . . is a daily task involving both prayerfulness and meditation . . . prayer defined is essentially the heart of one’s soul “talking” to its God . . . on the other hand . . . meditation is taught in Sacred :bible1: Scripture and by Holy Mother Church as essentially being the heart of one’s soul “listening” to its God . . . the ultimate goal of these actions of the soul being that at the center . . . of the deep interior quiet within the heart of the soul . . . the soul enters into . . . *constant holy conversation and communion with its God *. . .

Lectio Divina (divine reading) is perhaps the clearest most well lit holy pathway for the soul to “listen” to its God . . . essentially it is encountering God in the reading of a literary level of holy writings in Christendom believed to be especially blessed and anointed of God . . . first order and always primary of which is God’s **Holy Word **. . . Sacred :bible1: Scripture . . . and which group of writings can also include The Holy Rule of St. Benedict . . . The Catechism of the Catholic Church . . . writings of the Fathers and Saints of the Church, etc., . . . and as such . . . when prayerfully read the . . . **Holy Spirit **. . . Wonderful Counselor of Our God . . . is abundantly available to help regarding the reading and understanding of same . . .

The holy Benedictine monk Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki , O.S.B. of the Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania here in the United States . . . recommends that we . . . *slow down radically *. . . when reflecting on inspired material . . . so as to . . . ***open up freely ***. . . in the practice of seeking out the . . . Holy Presence of God . . . in the treasury of insights and enlightenments contained therein . . . he goes on further to share with beautiful simplicity:

Lectio Divina (divine reading)
Archabbot Douglas R. Nowicki , O.S.B. (Order of St. Benedict)

“It is the **monastic insight **that reading, if it be authentic, cannot be undertaken simply with the eyes and the mind. Rather it must involve the whole person: mind, heart, body and spirit. It is reading not so much for information as for formation, that is, for encounter with the living God in this moment in such a way that one’s heart catches fire and one’s life is transformed … In **St. Benedict’s **day reading a sacred or spiritual text was practiced not so much for the sake of ‘information,’ but rather in order to be ‘formed’: that is, to be inwardly changed or shaped. …

Thus the aim of lectio divina (divine reading), i.e., pondering the material in a slow, prayerful way, is to dispose ourselves to welcome God’s ever-present grace and His efforts to conquer our hearts and transform us more and more into a holy people . . . ”

. . . :coffeeread: . . .
CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
PART ONE: THE PROFESSION OF FAITH

Article 2 - THE TRANSMISSION OF DIVINE REVELATION

81
Sacred Scripture is the speech of God as it is put down in writing under the breath of the Holy Spirit.

Article 3 - SACRED SCRIPTURE

104
In Sacred Scripture, the Church constantly finds her nourishment and her strength, for she welcomes it ** not** as human word, "but as what it really is, the Word of God."

**In the sacred books,
the Father who is in heaven
comes lovingly to meet his children,
and talks with them. **

​

. . . all for Jesus+
. . . thank You Blessed Lord+
. . . thank You Sweet Spirit of our Holy God+
. . . thank you Holy Mother Mary+
. . . thank you Holy Mother Church+​

 

[cmscms]

Thank you for your lovely answer

It is always difficult to know when you are really hearing the voice of God and what may be, in fact, your own imagination. .

Exactly ! That is why I am asking this question. I have been to many protestant groups (I am not saying it is because they are protestant simply I never really found many Catholic groups) where the idea is pushed that one can hear God and I don’t really feel that is always true

I say this as one who was convinced God was giving me a “message” and I was mistaken. This does not mean of course that God wasn’t speaking to me…but I was emotional and confused.

I understand what you are saying and I am concerned that I am hearing what I want to hear not what He is saying.

And yes, there are times when I feel like just following His commandements are not enoguh. If I am required to make a decision, there are several angles to consider. For example, one day I was waiting at a bus stop with a small chinese man and a big white man. The white man was obviously drunk. When the bus got there, the white man pushed the chinese man aside and said ‘Whites first’ then he took one look at me and stepped aside and said ‘Ladies first’. I felt like stepping aside and letting the chinese man on first to show this drunk he can not disrespect children of God. But I was scared it would set the drunk off and he would cause someone harm. So I said nothing.

I believe it is God’s will that I ensure others are respected. But… would it have been smart for me to do something right then? Probably not

CM

 

[cmscms]

What I do know is that if you are in a state of grace, avoiding mortal sin, make regular confessions, attend Mass and follow the commandments…you can be assured that the Holy Spirit is helping you make all decisions!

Awww that is so sweet thank you

 

[truthsave]

Dear cmscms,

I could be wrong, but I don’t think there is any way to know 100% that it is truely the voice of God, our imaginations or a combination of both. Maybe other people hear God and I know that there are mystics and visionaries…I do not happen to be one of them.

What I do know is that if you are in a state of grace, avoiding mortal sin, make regular confessions, attend Mass and follow the commandments…you can be assured that the Holy Spirit is helping you make all decisions!

I like your answer and I agree with you.
Hearing the Lord voice… I don’t know if it is possible to be able to bear his voice…
I just tell you my experience. First of all: I am not a mystic not a visionary and extremely far from being a saint. I am just a normal sinner.
I was about 14 I guess, I was baptized christian, but God was having almost no place in my conscious life. Never prayed not going to mass: just I didn’t care.
It was a beautiful summer sunset at the sea. I was alone and stayed at my balcony to look the nice view.
All of a sudden, out of the blue, I heard a voice calling my name.
It was not from the exterior like a normal voice, not from interior, was a like human voice but clearer, but expecially was like the exterior and the interior of myself were trembling to this voice, it was like the voice was coming out from everythig inside me and outside me, my body shaked up to my bones and I was paralized. I immediately went away from the balcony and I was extremely afraid and I didn’t said this happening to anybody, and wished not to hear it anymore.
If it would have said sonmething longer then my name I don’t know if I would have survived the intensity and for sure I would have collapsed.
But was the Lord? I don’t know. Anyway if was Him He just said my name, and why my name and just my name? for me it remained a mistery for all my life.
It was just about three years ago (after 30 years) that I gave to this experience an half acceptable answer.

 

[ILoveRoses]

I have never heard a “voice” other than my own intuition inside of me, that is from divine intervention. I pray daily for God to help me to open my heart and my mind to truly “listen” to Him rather than just “hearing” Him help me. I ask God for everything and I talk to him constantly, but I also ask Him to help me to hear Him and to know when He is the one helping me rather than it is just myself having wishful thinking or just thinking something on my own.

In other words, I probably always “hear” Him, but I don’t always “listen” to Him.

Anybody can believe what they want. But I can only tell you that there have been too many times, on a regular basis, that I have had thoughts and ideas enter my mind and I have been positive they were not of my own thinking. I am constantly being helped, whether it is to remind me I forgot something, or to help me with a major problem.

I know that I try to “listen” to Him at all times as I cannot get through this life without His help and His love

Just try it. Pray to God every day to help you to listen for when He is helping you or speaking to you and start paying attention to the thoughts that pop up into your head. You might be able to start realizing when you think they are from yourself, and when they are not!

Either way, pray like crazy and He will take care of you no matter what

 

[smetobo]

Hi Everyone,

I was wondering if people could share experiences when they just knew God was speaking to them.

CM

Yes God really speaks to us all the time in the Spirit, and you need to learn to hear.I have this young apostolate called BPS Lay Ministry and on our blog I have shared a very personal experience in this area. Check it out and see if perhaps you’ve been missing out when Jesus spoke to you? bpslayministry.wordpress.com/2015/08/18/how-does-god-speak-to-us/

 

[runningdude]

Hi Everyone,

I was wondering if people could share experiences when they just knew God was speaking to them.

For example when I have a problem and I don’t know how to handle it, I pray to God, yet I don’t feel I hear what He wants me to do about it. I was wondering if it is because He does not feel there is anything for me to know at the moment or if there is some kind of sin blocking me from hearing him

Thanks

CM

When the Apostles heard the unknown man speaking to them on road, they felt their hearts burning. They knew it was Jesus before he revealed himself, because his Word reverberated deeply within them.

God rarely speaks directly about a problem. He works through gifts or charisms. One of the gifts of God the Holy Spirit is wisdom. Sacraments, studying, prayer, meditation, counseling and spiritual direction are ways that one tunes themselves to becoming receptive to God. When one discerns a means that is in accord with God’s will, one will feel a deep conviction.

 

[smetobo]

When the Apostles heard the unknown man speaking to them on road, they felt their hearts burning. They knew it was Jesus before he revealed himself, because his Word reverberated deeply within them.

God rarely speaks directly about a problem. He works through gifts or charisms.

Yes this is a beautiful example you mention.It was on their way to Emmaus. Not apostles but two disciples. As St Paul notes in 2 Cor 5:7 “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
God does not often reveal himself directly because that will be a beatitude for the pure of heart - When we finally see him as he truly is, in glory. But he has revealed himself through Jesus, and speaks to us directly into the heart in many ways. However, he is pleased with faith (Heb 11:6) and therefore he makes it easy for those who are childlike to recognize him in simple things,things which those who are not childlike would not accept as having God himself in them. Like the real presence of Jesus in eucharist

 

[dedo]

Just a couple suggestions:

1. Prayer and Bible study. Of course, don’t miss Mass. I heard an interesting Homily last weekend about how important prayer is to connecting with God. The week before, the Homily was about how important the Word of God is to repelling the influence of the enemy.
2. Do your own research into the subject you have a question on. Become an expert or at least an informed consumer.
3. Get counsel from others who are experts.
4. Move forward in a safe direction according to your best hypothesis of what to do.

Once I heard a sermon about how God can only direct our paths if we are on a path. If someone is just praying and waiting for an answer, then the only answer may be to get up and move. Then guidance about which way to move can be heard.

At least that is the way it has worked for me. I am interested in the entertainment industry and several people have been very helpful with ideas and encouragement. However, after reading and talking to people, I now know that the “next step” for me is to produce a screen play.

Thus, the only person that can help me with that is a professional screen writer, and of course myself. Hopefully, with good consultants and a lot of effort, I can shorten a process that can take years into months.

Once that is finished, it will be easier to see whether getting involved in production is reasonable, but not before.

I could not have reached this conclusion without following the steps above.

Good luck.

 

[LaughingBoy1503]

Hi Everyone,

I was wondering if people could share experiences when they just knew God was speaking to them.

For example when I have a problem and I don’t know how to handle it, I pray to God, yet I don’t feel I hear what He wants me to do about it. I was wondering if it is because He does not feel there is anything for me to know at the moment or if there is some kind of sin blocking me from hearing him

Thanks

CM

The day I think I hear God’s voice is the day I get a mental evaluation by a good doctor.

Talk to a priest about this concern with not hearing God. My guess is that you do not mean a audible voice, but just discerning what God wants you to do and that is tough. I have not gotten that down yet either. I still cannot understand when people say God told them something. I think most the time it is their imagination but I know it happens for real too. God bless

 

[guanophore]

Hi Everyone,

I was wondering if people could share experiences when they just knew God was speaking to them.

For example when I have a problem and I don’t know how to handle it, I pray to God, yet I don’t feel I hear what He wants me to do about it. I was wondering if it is because He does not feel there is anything for me to know at the moment or if there is some kind of sin blocking me from hearing him

Thanks

CM

sin does block us from hearing God. If you think there may be some kind of sin, do an examination of conscience and go to confession. You can also ask the Holy Spirit to show you if there is anything that needs to be confessed.

You have had some very good advice on this thread, such as learning to use Lectio Divina. This is a spiritual discipline that will yield results but may take some time to develop. Eventually you will clearly and quickly be able to apply the Word of God to your daily life.

I understand what you are saying and I am concerned that I am hearing what I want to hear not what He is saying.

This is a valid concern. The more you are steeped in the Catechism and the history of the Church (including Scripture) the more you will be able to discern this. The Holy Spirit never leads an individual contrary to how He has already led the Church. We can know if we are thinking contrary to the Church that it is not God’s voice.

  And yes, there are times when I feel like just following His commandements are not enoguh.

This is absolutely true. Though we can know with confidence God will never lead us to break His commandments, we are not under law, but under grace. We are to be motivated by Love. He has given us gifts to serve Him and the Church, as well as serving the world and it is our job to discover them, unwrap them, and start using them.

 If I am required to make a decision, there are several angles to consider.  For example, one day I was waiting at a bus stop with a small chinese man and a big white man.  The white man was obviously drunk.  When the bus got there, the white man pushed the chinese man aside and said 'Whites first' then he took one look at me and stepped aside and said 'Ladies first'.  I felt like stepping aside and letting the chinese man on first to show this drunk he can not disrespect children of God.  But I was scared it would set the drunk off and he would cause someone harm.  So I said nothing.

You are right that there are opportunities all day long, every day, that give us a chance to demonstrate Christ to the world. We are His hands, His feet, His lips.

 I believe it is God's will that I ensure others are respected.  But......  would it have been smart for me to do something right then?  Probably not

It is a judgment call, of course. It is not wise to provoke an angry person who is under the influence.

The good news is, you will have many more such opportunities. You can approach each day with the expectation that God will provide a chance for you to show His love to the world.

 

[mikevloria]

I have experienced Christ speaking to me in my soul. This is a very distinct moment. I feel His presence very strongly and I can clearly paraphrase a message.

Once I was broken and went to mass early, I was the only one in the Church. When I looked up at the cross, I was almost blown over from the experience of love I felt. I experienced Christ in my soul say to me, “It is about time you showed up”. This reminded me that he is always present and it is us that is missing…