“How To Listen To God” – Specific Suggestions

Yesterday I duplicated the beginnings of “How To Listen To God” written by John E. Batterson and reproduced at Barefoot Bob’s web site here. It is still my opinion it is worth it to repeat and pass it along far and wide.

“How To Listen To God”

Specific suggestions…

With the basic elements as a background, here are specific suggestions on How to Listen to God:

1. TAKE TIME
Find some place and time where you can be alone, quiet and undisturbed. Most people have found that the early morning is the best time. Have with you some paper and pen or pencil.

2. RELAX
Sit in a comfortable position. Consciously relax all your muscles. Be loose. There is no hurry. There needs to be no strain during these minutes. God cannot get through to us if we are tense and anxious about later responsibilities.

3. TUNE IN
Open your heart to God. Either silently or aloud, just say to God in a natural way that you would like to find His plan for your life – you want His answer to the problem or situation that you are facing just now. Be definite and specific in your request.

4. LISTEN
Just be still, quiet, relaxed and open. Let your mind go “loose.” Let God do the talking. Thoughts, ideas and impressions will begin to come into your mind and heart. Be alert and aware and open to every one.

5. WRITE!
Here is the important key to the whole process. Write down everything that comes into your mind. Everything. Writing is simply a means of recording so that you can remember later. Don’t sort out or edit your thoughts at this point.

Don’t say to yourself:

• This thought isn’t important
• This is just an ordinary thought
• This can’t be guidance
• This isn’t nice
• This can’t be from God
• This is just me thinking…, etc.

Write down everything that passes through your mind:

• Names of people
• Things to do
• Things to say
• Things that are wrong and need to be made right

Write down everything:

• Good thoughts – bad thoughts
• Comfortable thoughts – uncomfortable thoughts
• “Holy” thoughts – “unholy” thoughts
• Sensible thoughts – “crazy” thoughts

Be honest! Write down everything! A thought comes quickly, and it escapes even more quickly unless it is captured and put down.

Tomorrow – the balance of the suggestions and the results…