A Practical Guide to Hearing From God
Daily Office To-Do List:
1. Slow/Stop/Still: Sit comfortably, feet on the floor and breathe from your belly. Take several slow breaths just to quiet your body. Ask God to meet you during this time.
2. Focus: Read a small portion of Scripture, slowly, maybe several times over, inviting the Holy Spirit to penetrate your heart with God’s Word. Here are some suggested passages to get you started: Psalm 63:1-5; Isaiah 30:15-18; Luke 10:38-42; John 1:1-4.
3. Silence: After reading the verse or passage, sit silently with God. You’ll find this difficult, especially at first, because our minds so easily wander. That’s OK. As you become aware of your meanderings, simply refocus your attention, asking God to speak to you and meet you.
4. Pray: This isn’t the time to pull out your prayer list. Rather, respond to the Lord as your heart leads. Express gratitude, reframe something in your life with a fresh perspective, consider having a hard conversation. The possibilities are endless as you learn to discern God’s voice and respond to His direction.
It's easy to miss how a frenetic pace can influence you. Though technology can a benefit, it can also create noise that makes meeting with God, and hearing from Him, nearly impossible.
How Busyness Gets in the Way of Hearing From God
There is such a high value on how busy someone is it is as if the winner in the “who’s busiest” sweepstakes gets to wear a badge of honor. On the other hand are messages imploring you to slow down, simplify and make time for the important things in life, such as spending time with God and our family.
It doesn’t take a keen observer to conclude that the former often wins. As much as you may try to slow down and relax, even leisure can occur at a breakneck pace. You may understand the need to rest and recharge, but doing so can prove elusive.
While fighting busyness can occur on many battlefronts, I want to highlight one simple exercise that, if practiced consistently, will help bring order to your soul and help you connect with God amid your daily demands.
Do This One Thing to Hear From God
The “Daily Office” is a simple, focused practice of setting aside time during the day to encounter God. Regardless of our roles in life — mom, plumber, teacher, engineer — you can implement this discipline.
I’d recommend starting with a 10-minute period of time, perhaps in the morning or at lunch.
Break up this time into the four parts you see in the sidebar. Remember the goal isn’t to get something from God, but rather to spend time with God.
This isn’t about an agenda, but simply moving into the Lord’s invitation to “be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10, English Standard Version).
As you become accustomed slowing down with God, you can adapt the elements, duration and time of the day to suit your needs. The “Daily Office” can even be practiced several times a day.
Next Steps
- Learn more about the “Daily Office” and its 40-day guide in “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day” by Peter Scazzero.
- Learn more about how to discern God’s will for your life in this article, “How to Know the Will of God.”
