Engaging God’s Voice

Our thoughts are like Post-it® notes we carry around in our pockets. We walk around labeling everything we see, beginning with ourselves. Too fat, too thin, too loud, too quiet, too much, not enough. Sticky note after sticky note, we categorize, classify, and catalog. It’s exhausting because we believe the words on our sticky notes have the final say when, in fact, they are simply our thoughts. 

Our actions stem from our thoughts and emotions about our circumstances—and we wonder why we experience the results we do. Our freedom begins to emerge when we realize we are not our thoughts, we have thoughts and we get to notice, discern, and respond to them rather than react. Working with our thoughts and narratives is about reading those Post-its®, questioning whether they are helpful or not, and then moving to wise action.

God is transforming us, and we can practice cooperating with this process. We get to be who we are and love from the center of that place. We don’t control people or circumstances. We notice, acknowledge, and accept (not necessarily condone) what is occurring and, by the fruit of the Spirit of self-control, we make decisions about what we will think and what we will do.

We take in so much information every day, all day, and it can be overwhelming. Please don’t settle for mere knowledge. The invitation here is to move at the pace of grace and grow at the pace of transformation. This pace is different from the pace of question/answer or action/reaction. The pace of transformation is alive, and it relies on our cooperative responses to the invitations of God. I’ll be the first to admit, this is a messy and winding process. No one gets it right the first time or even the second. Life will continue to hand us lemons from time to time, and we will experience all the ups and downs. And yet, it is possible to grow in our ability to allow our truest self to lead.

HOW THE VOICES RELATE TO ONE ANOTHER

Wouldn’t it be great if our thoughts all spoke one at a time, in order, so we could easily Notice, Discern, and Respond our way forward?

For example, my own Unsettled Heart was likely being masked or pushed away by any number of voices. The Positive Thinker might have tried to push my Unsettled Heart down with thoughts like, Let’s not look at that now, that’s no fun. That’s too much pain to wade through. You don’t want to do that. Or my Anxious Controller or Stressed Achiever might have tried to keep me moving and in a flurry so that I didn’t have time to look in the shadowy recesses of my heart. My Inner Critic might have launched criticisms that kept the Unsettled Heart at bay. These voices make attempts to keep me from accessing parts of me that need attention.

What every one of these voices really needs is love and attention. This is why learning to pause and notice is so important. Noticing is a gentle way to look within and see who has taken a seat at the head of the table. Remaining aware of your inner dynamics—while not stressing about this very process—can help on so many levels.

HONESTY AND TRANSFORMATION

Something that might hinder us from moving forward here is the fear of looking at our “stuff.” Many of us have spent much of our lives in appearance management mode. We have skillfully hidden the aspects of ourselves that are unseemly, untidy, and unruly. I’ve packed those away nicely in a room and I don’t plan on opening the door, thank you very much. Why would I want to open that up? And, yes, that’s one way to go about this. But I’d like to offer another way. A way that leads to wholeness.

The more honest and willing you are to look at your stuff, the more transformation is possible. How much do you want to grow and heal? How much freedom do you long for? Match that with deep levels of transparency, authenticity, and truth. We make our way to deeper levels one stair step at a time. Move to the next level of honesty you can muster. Learn to love authenticity more than you love self-protection. Let your frustration with your current situation persuade you to take the risk of opening to deeper, hidden aspects of yourself. Honesty is your friend, and it opens the door for further growth. 

And remember: small, simple, and gracious steps are the way to stay on the humble path of transformation. As we move on from here, continue to remember that you already have what you need. Imagine yourself as a portable sanctuary. Your own body is your prayer room and can be accessed at any time to enter this processing space. Simply remain open, aware, and willing as you move through your everyday life. You are the temple of God, and this temple is with you wherever you go.

THE LOVING VOICE OF GOD

The voice of God will always come through with love. At its center, even if it’s corrective, will be the tone of someone who cares deeply about your well-being. The Bible contains many references to God as a loving, motherly, nurturing presence. God is big enough, cares about you personally, and can hold you in whatever space you find yourself. Don’t let your yet-to-be-healed parts keep you from receiving this portion of love.

God loves you. For real. There is nothing that holds back God’s love (Romans 8:38‑39). Not even your unfelt sense of it. Take a breath and rest in this love right now. This love can bolster your intentions to make progress in managing your thoughts and narratives.

–Adapted from Hold That Thought by Gem Fadling. ©2022 by Gem Fadling. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press. www.ivpress.com.