How Does God Speak To You?

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How can we become more aware of God’s voice? I am not always aware of his voice in my life although I have a deep love and faith for Him. Perhaps I’m not that far along on my spiritual journey.

Lately I am becoming aware of past sins that I never really thought much about and maybe that is God speaking to me.

I need some help here.

Blessings,
Shannin
 
This is a difficult situation indeed. I always believed that God can speak to us through his creation. He can speak to us through other people. The problem lies when we have to determine if God **IS **talking to us. Thus we need to discern.

Perhaps this will help : catholic.com/radio/calive.asp?date=5/1/2004

Click on May 24, 2004 episode of Catholic Answers Live and listen to the show. It may help in some way or another.
 
God is constantly speaking to me and all of us through many diverse means including stirrings in our spirits, the wonder of creation, Christian actions of others, etc.

I have written a meditation on Listening to God which I would like to share with you here. URL: stobie.home.sprynet.com/religion/Listening2God.htm

Have faith in God. Trust in Him. Listen for Him. Love Him.
 
For me, the Holy Spirit is very willing to help me understand paths to take. Our Lord, present in the Blessed Sacrament, has also revealed himself to me.

Mother Angelica refers to the Holy Spirit’s assistance as being the Gift of Counsel. I have included a prayer that may help.

Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit

O Lord Jesus Christ, who, before ascending into heaven, did promise to send the Holy Spirit to finish your work in the souls of your Apostles and Disciples – deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me, to perfect in my soul the work of your grace and your love.

Grant me:

The Spirit of Wisdom– that I may not be attached to the perishable things of the world, but aspire only after the things that are eternal.

The Spirit of Understanding – to enlighten my mind with the light of your divine truth.

**The Spirit of Counsel **– thatI may ever choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining heaven.

The Spirit of Fortitude – that I may bear my cross with you and I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that may oppose my salvation.

The Spirit of Knowledge– that I may know God and myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints.

The Spirit of Piety– that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable.

The Spirit of Fear– that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may avoid anything that may displease him.

Mark me, dear Lord, with the sign of your true disciples, and animate me in all things with your spirit. Amen
 
I strongly recommend the book:
“How to Hear From God” by Joyce Meyer.
She is not a Catholic…but we can learn, at least I have, from her thoughts…
Let me know what you think…
 
Usually when God is directing my life, he uses other people. And more than one.

If I am discerning a path and I hear from more than one reliable source which choice to make, and I do not have any convictions against it, I go for it!

It is important when doing this that you are praying for God’s will in your life.

I believe that the Holy Spirit uses those in our lives to speak to us.

It’s the best method I have found, as none of the bushes in my yard are currently ablaze! 🙂
 
Thank you for your replies. I will order Dave’s book from Amazon.com tomorrow. I’m still a little confused about knowing for certain that God is speaking to me. There is a woman in my Rosary group that knows “for certain and without a doubt” when God is giving her a message.

Blessings,
Shannin
 
This is from a book written by Catherine of Siena … I have used this method and found it useful. In general I have found her to be a treasure to read.

God speaking to St. Catherine in a vision:
If it is the devil who has come to visit the mind under the guise of light, the soul experiences gladness at his coming. But the longer he stays, the more gladness gives way to weariness and darkness and pricking as the mind becomes clouded over by his presence within. But when the soul is truly visited by me, eternal Truth, she experiences holy fear at the first encounter. And with this fear comes gladness and security, along with a gentle prudence that does not doubt even while it doubts, but through self-knowledge considers itself unworthy. So the soul says, “I am not worthy to receive your visitation – but how can I be worthy?” Then she turns to the greatness of my charity, knowing and seeing that I can grant it. For I look not to her unworthiness but to my worth, and so make her worthy to receive me. For I do not scorn the longing with which she calls to me. Then she receives my visitation humbly, saying, “Behold your servant: Let your will be done in me.” Then she emerges from the course of prayer and to my visitation with spiritual gladness and joy, in humility considering herself unworthy, and in charity acknowledging that it was from me.
This then is how the soul can tell whether she is being visited by me or by the devil: In my visitation she will find fear at the beginning; but in the middle and at the end, gladness and a hunger for virtue. When it is the devil, however, the beginning is happy, but then the soul is left in spiritual confusion and darkness. Now I have warned you by giving you the sign, so that the soul, if she chooses to behave humbly and prudently, cannot be deluded. The one deluded will be the soul who chooses to travel only with the imperfect love of her own consolation rather than of my affection.
(pp. 133-134)

Catherine of Siena. Catherine of Siena: The Dialogue.Trans. Suzanne Noffke, O.P. Mahwah, New Jersey: Paulist Press, 1980.
ISBN 0809122332
 
Shannin, thanks for replying to my post.
I am now re-reading (studying) the Joyce Meyer’s book.
More and more I realize that our God has a plan for me EACH day…I have only to listen to His whispers (like Isaiah in the cave)…and ask His forgiveness for my “hardness of heart”…asking His Spirit to guide me, protect me…The 23rd Psalm has more meaning for me each day…I find myself saying this often…
Please keep in contact with me…We probably have much to learn from each other…
Peace be with you.
Dave
 
Thanks Davefl, and all of you that replied,

Again, I am learning so very much from this site. Many blessings to all of you.

Shannin
 
The slightest act of self-renunciation will give great glory to joy.
We have so much to give God thanks for; and so litle time in which to do so.
What is God’s plan for you today? Listen to Him; let His Spirit lead you.
 
I, too, have trouble with this. Various people counsel me to “listen to what God tells you,” but I’m never entirely sure if I’m just going by intuition, or gut feeling, or intellect, or something else. I’ve never actually heard the voice of God speaking directly to me, as in a vision—that would probably scare me silly anyway. I have a sense most of the time when I’m doing what God wants me to do or not.

But yeah, I’m kinda thrown by that concept myself. Not that I’m unwilling to learn or accept it, but rather that I’m puzzled as to what it actually involves.

I find that as I approach Catholicism from a Protestant background, I’ve had to allow myself to be more and more open-minded.
 
God speaks to me through others. I pray every morning in the Psalms “Oh that today you would listen to His voice!”

He speakes to me through the Holy Scriptures. And in speaking to me I don’t mean I hear words, quite the opposite.
God speaks deeply to me through an interior enlightenment. This is the way the Holy Spirit acts. See, His school is the soul He is the teacher. Words are not the medium. The medium is a bright and beautiful light that shines on our understanding. He gives an impulse to our will and then the will feels itself all burning with love for its Lord and God.

Just think on the story of the walk on the road to Emmaus.

Bless you,
Fergal
Naas
Ireland
 
Good Morning Church

God speaks in so many ways, it is really hard to pick them out. I am sure I have only experienced a few.

God has spoken to me through the Scriptures. Especially when I am praying the scriptures rather than studying.

God has spoken to me through other people. He often sends just the right person at the right time. He has even spoken to me through other peoples “words of knowledge” being confirmed by others.

God has spoken to me while in Prayer, especially in
contemplative prayer.
He has spoken to me in visions. At these times, I have actually heard the words.

God has spoken to me, I believe, in dreams.

God is always speaking to us. We just need to learn to listen. smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/17/17_1_14.gif
 
****For me, A devotion to the Holy Spirit has made the difference to knowing if the inspiration is mine will or God’s. ******
O, Holy Spirit
O, Holy Spirit, beloved of my soul, …I adore You.
Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me.
Tell me what I should do …give me Your orders.
I promise to submit myself to all that You desire of me
and to accept all that You permit to happen to me.
Let me only know Your will.
**Prayer of St. Augustine
**Breathe into me, Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy.

Move in me, Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy.

Attract my heart, Holy Spirit, that I may love only what is holy.

Strengthen me, Holy Spirit, that I may defend all that is holy.

Protect me, Holy Spirit, that I may always be holy.
These are some of my favorite Holy Spirit prayers.
Pax et bonum,
Mamamull
 
Dear Mamamull,

Awesome. Thanks for sharing. I feel the presence of the Holy Spirit when I say that payer.

Blessings to All,
Shannin
 
The more you persevere in your faith, the more you will find your thoughts to be divinely inspired. This is God “speaking” to you.
 
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