In Chapter 4 of my second book, Further Down The Stream, I
list many of the ways we receive divine guidance from our inner Divine Spirit
(the kind of guidance we commonly call our intuition). Included are:
- A thought that suddenly pops into your head
- A still, small voice you seem to “hear” from within
- An image or a vision that appears in your mind
- A particularly vivid dream you have
- A physical sensation that gets your attention
- A simple feeling of peace or “rightness”
- A “Knowing”—that is, an inexplicable and unshifting sense of surety
There is one form of divine communication, however, I have
only experienced twice—both within a single 24-hour period. I am referring to
hearing a “still, small voice.” Although some people claim they have heard—with
their ears—an actual voice coming from outside of themselves, most
people—myself included—experience the still, small voice as something that
arises from within. They can’t say they actually “heard” something, but what
they experienced was more than just a mental thought.
If you are wondering what distinguishes a still, small voice
from a thought, it is generally this: The message you “hear” is extraordinarily
clear. It is very concise. And it seems to be delivered to your mind rather
than originating from your mind. For example, a thought that arises in your
mind might be something like, “Hey, I haven’t heard from Sally in a while.
Maybe I should call her.” A still, small voice would simply say, “Call Sally.
Now.”
So what was my experience with a still, small voice? To be
perfectly honest, it was a little embarrassing . . . but also kind of funny:
Many, many years ago—when I was in my thirties—I had a very
big decision to make. It was such a big decision, I needed to make it very
carefully and prayerfully. I had that decision on my mind when I decided to
spend a week or so vacationing in Arizona.
My first stop was the city of Tucson. Tucson sits at the
base of Mt. Lemmon, and I decided I would drive up to the top of that mountain
and spend some time in prayer and meditation about the challenging choice I was
facing. So that’s exactly what I did. I
drove to the top of Mt. Lemmon, found a big boulder, sat on it, meditated for a
bit, and then asked my inner Divine Spirit, “Spirit . . . what should I do?”
I was surprised when I got an immediate response. It was
clear. It was concise. And the message seemed to be delivered to my mind,
rather than originating from my mind. It was a still, small voice. And it said,
“Whatever you think is best for your spiritual growth.”
Whatever I think is best for my spiritual growth? I didn’t
care for that answer. I didn’t know what was best for my spiritual growth, and
I wasn’t sure I would be able to discern that. As I drove back down the
mountain I convinced myself that the “voice” I heard must not have been the
voice of my Spirit at all. It must have been something else.
I knew my next stop was Sedona, Arizona, so I decided I
would ask the question again when I got there. After all, Sedona is known for
it’s mystical “vortexes,” and I would probably have a stronger connection to my
inner Divine Spirit if I asked the question there.
So that’s what I did. I drove to Sedona, went to one of the
vortex sites, sat down, meditated a bit, and then asked the question again.
“Spirit . . . what should I do?”
Once again I got an immediate response. It was clear. It was
concise. And the message seemed to be delivered to my mind, rather than
originating from my mind. It was that still, small voice again. Only this time,
it said, “I already told you.” Oops! I felt a little embarrassed. I guess I
should have accepted the first answer I received!
Well, even though it required more contemplation and
meditation on my part, I was—in the end—able to arrive at a decision I was
comfortable with. And later, I realized why my Sprit answered me the way it
did. It was simply because it didn’t make any difference what choice I made! No
matter what path I chose, if I thought it was best for my spiritual growth, my
inner Divine Spirit would help me benefit from the experience.
Friends, have you had a still, small voice experience? Have
you had beneficial thoughts pop into your mind, or experienced helpful dreams?
No matter what form your divine guidance may take, here’s to being open and
receptive to it . . . the first time!
Steven
