In
the movie Dogma, an archangel is telling a woman about the creation of man.
"God didn’t realize that because of man’s
delicate makeup, he could not hear God’s Voice without being utterly destroyed. We
went through about eight Adams before God finally figured it out."
Well, actually,
it is not God’s Voice that is so scary to us. It is what God is saying that
scares us. Most of us can recall experiences where we received Divine Guidance. This
guidance comes in the form of hunches, intuition, feelings about a situation or person, or
simply just an inner knowing. Some of us followed those hunches and were glad we did.
Others of us ignored them because our logic got in the way and we later regretted it.
So the first step
is to be willing to hear whatever guidance you get, even if it scares you. The thing to
remember is that you don’t have to follow the guidance. We all still have the
ultimate veto power, which is a freedom that God has given us, out of His love and respect
for us. We also know that once we hear the guidance, we usually know that it’s right.
That’s what scares us! The fact that we might have to change! Or we may have to take
a risk, one that our heart tells us we need to take, but one that our logic and our ego is
too scared to accept.
This also means that you have to be willing to release any
solution you think you already know.
Our friend Dave
once told us about an incident he had with God. He had been angry for days because he had
been praying for an answer to a question and God was mute. Finally, he had a temper
tantrum with God. He started ranting and raving at God.
"I knew it! You’re not really
there for me! You don’t care about my life or anything! I knew it all along!"
And then Dave got quiet, maybe from feeling guilty or just
because he was psychically tired from his tirade. And a tiny, still Voice crept into his
mind.
"I’ve been talking to you all the time. But
you’ve already made up your mind and I can’t get through!"
And Dave realized that he had made up his mind already on
how his problem should be solved and that his mind had been shut to any other
alternatives.
So how does
God’s Voice sound? Well, you can bet it will not be a burning bush or a gold-lettered
telegram from the Holy Spirit. The answer will be quiet, sure and certain. There will be a
knowing on which way to proceed. This is a process that can only be experienced and
tested over time. You will have to find how God speaks to you in your way.
But know this. God is speaking to you all the time. You just have to find the way that you can hear.
For Stav and I
it’s usually a feeling in our body, a shift in our hearts or an idea that seems to
come from nowhere. When we are working on an issue, we let ourselves become sensitive to
any feelings or messages we may be receiving. And we share them with each other.
Something to be
aware of is that sometimes our ego can sound like the voice of God. So how do we tell the
difference? Well, as Jesus said, "Wherever two or more are gathered in my Name,
there I am." What this means is to ask another person that you know will tell
you the truth to help clear the confusion. By asking for help you are joining with
another, and Jesus will be there, in your presence.
One excellent way
to sensitize yourself to Divine Guidance is to ask God (or Jesus, Buddha, etc.) for
answers in anything you do. For example, when you’re deciding what dessert to have,
ask Jesus which one you should choose. Ask Him which radio station to listen to. Ask Him
which task you should do first.
Now you may be thinking,
"Isn’t asking for guidance on ‘silly’ matters
a waste of this infinite knowledge?"
Well, first, it’s not a waste of infinite knowledge because
this knowledge is infinite – never ending. And second, Jesus specifically asks
that we ask Him for help in all matters – no matter the size.
Why? Because this gets you in a habit of not making decisions by
yourself. And you will find that every answer that Jesus gives will support you in ways
you never realized. And, you’ll feel happier.
It’s
surprising how this works. One time I (Jerry) was dieting but I had a craving for dessert.
I knew what I should eat and was going to get just a salad. But this time I asked
Jesus what I should get. The answer I got (a sense in my heart, not my stomach) was to
order a dessert also. I argued at first that this did not support my diet, but the answer
felt firm. And so I got the salad and dessert. I ate the salad and as I started on the
dessert, I found that after a few bites, I was completely satisfied. I wrapped it up and
took the remainder home.
I realized later, that if I had persisted in doing the
"right" thing and just getting a salad, I would have felt cheated and resentful.
And knowing myself, you could bet that I would make up for it later.
Another time Stav and I and a friend were out getting desserts
for a movie-thon at home. This time I felt that I wanted a large salad instead of dessert.
It was amazing! When we got home, I thoroughly enjoyed my salad as they ate their tiramasu
and chocolate cake. In both cases I ended up happy, even though to my rational mind it
didn’t seem to make sense.
So get in the
habit of asking God for help – no matter how small you judge the problem to be. You
will find an infinite amount of love and answers. And as you trust this powerful guidance,
you will find your life working easier and easier.