This is part four of a 4-part series on reading as a means of spiritual growth. So far I’ve discussed reading as a spiritual discipline, reading for spiritual encouragement, and reading as prayer. Today I want to write about how reading can allow us to hear the voice of God.
Photo courtesy of http://www.sxc.hu/profile/jlarranaga
As I’ve said before, more than any other means God has consistently used books to speak to me. Through reading, I’ve been encouraged*, convicted*, and strengthened*. He’s caused me to stumble upon books I would have never naturally come across and used them to help me re-orient my goals and desires. God can speak to us at any time, but I’ve discovered that I’m more likely to hear from Him when my body and my mind are still.
He says, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” -Psalms 46:10
Quiet mind
I don’t naturally respond well to people giving me unsolicited advice or opinions (just ask my husband), but I feel I am usually able to discern when God uses a book to point out something he wants me to pay attention to. I think this is partly due to the fact that reading is one of the only times in my life when I don’t multi-task. When I read, I have to turn off the TV, turn off the radio, and shut down the computer. I’m more apt to hear the Holy Spirit speaking to me and prompting me simply because I have quieted my mind and eliminated distractions.
Still body
Some people hear from God when they run. The act of moving their body has the inverse effect of quieting their mind. When I run, the only thing I hear is myself gasping for breath. For those of us who need to literally be still to hear from God, reading is a natural means of achieving that stillness. It’s hard to read and simultaneously be in motion. Reading requires us to still our bodies, which can often be a form of worship and an act of surrender. When I slow down and still my body in order to read, I’m demonstrating that even the possibility of hearing from God while reading is more important than my errands, my chores, or a need to be constantly “doing.”
What helps you quiet your mind? Have you found you’re more likely to hear God’s voice when you are still or moving? Please share your thoughts and comments below.
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