Hearing God

Hearing and recognizing God's voice is one of the most confusing, challenging, and central parts of life. Arguably, all people try to find and understand God's voice speaking to them at some point in life. Even for the most spiritually devout, God's voice is not always clear.

Dallas Willard wrote and recently re-released Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God to address the complexity of connecting with God. He starts the book by addressing the many misconceptions about hearing God. But he doesn't stop there--he spends a significant majority of the book exploring the various, powerful, yet subtle ways God speaks us on a daily basis.

What I love about this book is that Willard really emphasizes that there is no formula for connecting with and hearing God. Willard very clearly notes that God can use whatever means he would like to speak to us, but that there are particularly tendencies in how he sends us messages, which are often some form of what I would call Incarnational.

I'm fairly familiar with Willard's work and the topic of hearing God, so there was not much new here that I had not heard before. However, it was validating, reminding me of how I am connected to God. This was particularly meaningful, as during the two weeks I listened to this book on my commute to and from work, we were matched with a birth mom for an adoption, which then fell through.

During the emotional roller coaster, I questioned my recognition of God's voice to us about the match (and even adoption in general, at times). When we were first offered the opportunity to talk to this mom, I had this clear sense of peace (which is unusual for me, who is usually anxious), with a message that it would all work out fine. As the adoption fell through, I questioned if I had really heard from God. Quickly after that thought, I experienced a response that I was not "told" that this particular match would work out, but that all would be fine and we would handle it.

That did not make the process easier, per se, but it did give me a peace about the process. And as I mentioned before, that's not my normal state, making it fit being a message from God all the more. Plus, the characteristics of God's voice, as Willard says, includes stillness, peace, and calm.

I pray we all continue to recognize God and his voice in all we do, both in providing peace and passion for life.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

This review first appeared on my blog, Jacob's Café.

(Posted on 5/16/12)

Dallas Willard, famed author and theologian, discusses the concept of G-d speaking to us. How do we hear from G-d? Is it a still, small voice? Is it a voice at all? In fact, these questions have been asked by everyone through the ages. What does it look like to communicate with the divine? It seems that no one has the answer, yet almost every Christian not only expects that they can hear from G-d, but believe that G-d has told them things in the past. 

Willard looks as what this means, and how Christians can hear from G-d, but points out a clear fact that many overlook: hearing G-d only works when we are living in obedience with G-d. Examining Scripture and reviewing the facts logically, Willard presents the equation for what it is, and what it means, to hear from G-d. 

Gardner's narration of this text is performed at a faster pace, requiring the listener to "keep up" with his quick speech. With clear dictation, Gardner reads in what can only be described as a "weasel-like" voice, not out of a character flaw, but out of an actual sound. This made it hard to listen to, and near impossible to enjoy, what Willard's text provides. Nevertheless, based off my encounters with Willard, it would seem that Gardner's narration is only on-par with a simulation of the writer. 

I give the content a 4 out of 5, and narration 3.5 out of 5. Definitely not an audiobook I can finish, I don't believe many will find this one worth it's length in minutes. 

This review was commissioned by christianaudio. Read this review, and others like it, at scriptedgenius.com today.

(Posted on 5/7/12)

Dallas Willard has written a fine book about hearing and discerning the voice of God. Grover Gardner's narration is superb (as always), which makes this book a worthy purchase if you've ever wondered if God speaks to people...and how could you (or they) really know it was God.

www.varsityfaith.com

(Posted on 4/27/12)

Originally published on my blog http://bookwi.se

Finding God’s will is a common desire. Often people can be paralized because they are afraid of not finding God’s will. Hearing God is a classic. This is the third copy of the book I have owned (one given and two purchased) over the years but the first time I am actually reading it.

I like that Willard starts by moving the pressure down a notch. He has a good illustration of the fact that no parent wants to tell their children everything that they should do. Parents want to teach their children how to do something, and expect that they will do it. If they are supposed to make their bed in the morning, they should make it every morning. Children complaining that the parent did not tell them this morning to make their bed will only incur the parent’s wrath. So Willard starts telling us we should listen to what scripture says and do that.

Another good point that I have never really thought of, is that we should always read scripture assuming that the people of scripture were much like us. They were not particularly special people, they were sinful, afraid, made bad decisions, etc. If we see them as much like us, then we can assume that we to should be hearing from God and seeking to follow God’s will in relatively similar ways as the biblical characters. Since reading that section, I have been more aware of the large number of Christians that actively resist thinking of biblical characters as ‘like us’. I think it shows one area that we have far to go to move Evangelicals into historical Christian Orthodoxy.

There is a good illustration about what it means to live in Christ and hear from the Holy Spirit. My shortened, weakened version is that Cabbage is alive. But Cabbage is dead to the world of movement and play. A rabbit might be able to move and play in some form, but it is dead to the world of art and ideas. It is not that Christians that do not hear from the spirit are dead in Christ (not saved), but rather are some are blinded to the plane that the Holy Spirit is speaking to them on. He spends several pages developing it and it is much more impressive than my few lines makes it seem.

Overall what I am most impressed by, is the biblical balance that Willard attempts to strike. When you discuss hearing from God there are lots of places to veer into shaky ground. And I know that some are of the opinion that even discussing hearing from God goes too far. But Willard attempts to keep the desire to hear from God, the ways we hear from God, the reality of the power of God, and the limitations of our own understanding all front and center.

This is not a new book, but I think it would be good to read along with Bill Hybels’ Power of a Whisper. Hybels spends more time talking biographically (and telling other people’s stories), which I think is helpful to put hearing from God in context of a life lived. And Hybels probably is a bit more directive in how to hear from God. But Willard is more theologically and philosophically oriented. I think the balance between them is useful.

(Posted on 8/6/11)