Lately, I've been dwelling on hearing God's voice, and it seems implausible to write on hearing God's voice when I haven't felt like I've heard much of anything. But as you will see, I've come to realize I've learned a new way of hearing. To give you some context, after being disabled and not working since 2009, in the last year I went to intern and then get employed as a chaplain in a hospital. My employment as a chaplain just happened to coincide with the pandemic, which, as you know, brought our world an immense amount of death and suffering. Being immersed in all the pain, one longs for times of refreshing! I often found moments of refreshing when people were discharged to go home during the day, but when I became employed for overnights instead...well, no patients get discharged to go home in the middle of the night! With little sleep and my health declining, I began to feel spiritually dry, my nights were dark, and deaths continued.
On a recent drive home, feeling tired from a death the night before, I said to God, "Why am I persistent in trying to hear Your voice when I haven't heard anything?"
Then what dropped in my spirit or came to mind was, "You've heard the cries of my heart by listening to other people's pain."
Those words floored me. To think, just hours earlier, I heard the sobs of surviving loved ones as they mourned. And throughout the entire past year, I've listened to countless other people in their suffering. So much pain, and that's what's on God's heart.
I love what Psalm 56:8 states: "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book." It should be no surprise that the pain of our neighbors, friends, relatives, and the world is what's on God's heart! So if you feel like you are in a dry and dark space and not hearing anything from God, maybe take time to listen to someone else's pain, and I guarantee you will soon recognize that you are hearing the voice of God.
What do you think of the idea of people's expressions of suffering being the voice of God? Have you heard God's voice in this way recently? What thoughts does this stir up if you are the one who is suffering? Continue the conversation here!
On a recent drive home, feeling tired from a death the night before, I said to God, "Why am I persistent in trying to hear Your voice when I haven't heard anything?"
Then what dropped in my spirit or came to mind was, "You've heard the cries of my heart by listening to other people's pain."
Those words floored me. To think, just hours earlier, I heard the sobs of surviving loved ones as they mourned. And throughout the entire past year, I've listened to countless other people in their suffering. So much pain, and that's what's on God's heart.
I love what Psalm 56:8 states: "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book." It should be no surprise that the pain of our neighbors, friends, relatives, and the world is what's on God's heart! So if you feel like you are in a dry and dark space and not hearing anything from God, maybe take time to listen to someone else's pain, and I guarantee you will soon recognize that you are hearing the voice of God.
What do you think of the idea of people's expressions of suffering being the voice of God? Have you heard God's voice in this way recently? What thoughts does this stir up if you are the one who is suffering? Continue the conversation here!
Andrea CatlettAndrea Catlett, MA, is a former pastor and has served a wide variety of ministries. She currently serves as a chaplain with Fallen Sparrow Spiritual Care. Through her education and experience, she has found prayer to be her constant calling. As a special needs mom and being disabled herself, she naturally advocates for those who need their voice heard in the healthcare system or simply a fellow friend. Andrea is a member of the Eden Spiritual Care board, and is also an Eden Spiritual Care class instructor. |  |
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