Hearing the Voice of God

Question: How can I tell the difference between the voice of God in prayer and my own thoughts?

Answer: Sometimes you can’t, but usually you can. God gives you thoughts, images, words, and feelings in response to your seeking His heart. And so you will often experience these somewhat alien thoughts, images or feelings in those moments that you are communing with Him, and they seem to be the answer to what you are needing. But it is always possible to misunderstand them and turn them to your own ends if you are insistent on your own way. My child asks me if he should share some money with a friend and I tell him to follow his heart. I know that he is feeling stingy and doesn’t really want to give it, and he uses my answer to justify not giving. But he feels uneasy because we both know that the issue is not whether he gives it or not, but his attitude toward his money. We can do the same thing with God. God’s word to us will always be in agreement with His written Word (He can’t contradict Himself) and we can often get insight into the message of His written Word and what He has spoken to us from fellow travelers of the Way who are tried and tested disciples.

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