“Everyone who listens to these words of mine,

Matthew 7:24

and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock."

Such pithy wisdom!  One short sentence, 24 little words, that truly sum up the life of a Christian – listen to God, act on what you hear and your life will be well rooted. So how do we listen to God?

First, we must be quiet enough to hear God.  That means stepping away from the many distractions of life for a time – a week, a day, and a few minutes every day.  Grounding yourself in daily prayer is so important to having a heart and mind open to hear God speak.  Reading Scripture (the actual Word of God), listening to reflections on Scripture, or even sitting in silence, are ways to hear God.  Celebrating the Sabbath each week also opens space to hear God speak.  Attending church, reading a spiritual book, walking in nature, and other avenues for slowing down, are all ways to make ourselves available to God on a weekly basis.  Taking an annual retreat is also a path to really getting quiet! Extended time away – from a weekend to a week or more – in silence, can really help us hear God speak.

In addition to our daily, weekly, and monthly listening practices, monthly spiritual direction can be so helpful in discerning what we hear.  With the aid of a trained spiritual director we can learn to distinguish God’s voice from our own or the many other voices that seek to direct our lives.  Despite being a spiritual director for more than 20 years, I still need the help of a spiritual companion to provide the structure and the questions to help me ensure that I am hearing God correctly. 

After we listen, and then discern that we have truly heard God, the next step is to act.  Sometimes those actions are easy, like taking the next logical step or doing the next right thing.  But sometimes the action can be difficult – making a big change, dealing with difficult situations or people, standing up for truth and acting in love.  In those times, our spouse, family, friends, and church community can be the support we need to take an action.  Truly we are not meant to go it alone.  God has given us one another to support, encourage, and help us on the journey. 

When we approach life in this way, listening to God, discerning God’s will, then taking the actions that flow from that with the aid of those who love us, the foundation of our life is strongly rooted in Christ.