A Life More Than Guidance
In this final Chapter of Hearing God, Willard began by re-emphasizing the importance of doing the rigorous work that we've done over the last few chapters. By doing this work a student can fill their understanding with the knowledge that leads to confident action. The person who would pursue an interactive relationship with God can only do so on an ever-increasing source of confidence. "Commitment," as he says, "is not sustained by confusion but by insight. The person who is uninformed or confused will inevitably be unstable and vulnerable in action, thought and feeling." Therefore it is good to stretch the mind to understand the ways of God, so that one can act based off of knowledge.
But having done the work, and received bits of knowledge, the question remains:
How may we come to live confidently and sensibly with God as a conversational presence in our lives?
This has been the focus of the entire book. One may come to live confidently and sensibly with God as a conversational presence in their life by learning through proper teaching that leads them to believe that God will speak to them. Also through their experiences of hearing God's voice. Through a constant study of scripture that reveals the God who speaks, through practices that open one up to the presence of God, through paying attention to the "still, small voice," one will slowly be able to discern God's voice from other voices.
Willard is careful to remind us that in process of learning to recognize God's voice we must not make infallibility a condition. "God's word is communication and that communication occurs constantly in contexts where infallibility is completely out of question. The infallibility of the speaker—as is the case when God is the speaker—does not, and need not, guarantee infallibility of the hearer." What we are striving for is confidence that it is God speaking to us, not perfection in understanding exactly what we are to do in light of God speaking. (We haven't even reached infallibility between human and human speech. This is why I always have to go back to the grocery store to get what I was told to get the first time.)
Since infallibility of the hearer is not our primary goal, we must give attention to how we are hearing. "Pay attention," says Jesus, "to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away" (Mark 4:23-25).
This powerful teaching from Jesus means that our intent in hearing is vitally important. Some may tune their ears to only hear what they want to hear. Others will "filter out his voice or twist it to our own purposes." Others will listen without a hearty desire to obey. Sadly, as Willard points out, many people do not really want a conversational relationship with God. Perhaps they want guidance when a hard decision is in front of them. But when things are easy, they do not seek His voice. Sadly I can testify to this reality. In January 2003 I received a phone call letting me know that my Marine Corps company was being activated and sent to fight in Operation Iraqi Freedom. I immediately became a bible reading prayer warrior. The day we returned I stopped reading my bible and praying. I essentially said, "I'm good now, God. Thanks for the help. You'll hear from me when another major problem arrives." That is not a personal relationship. That is, at best, a business relationship. And God will not be used, or mocked. He sees our intent in hearing, and will respond to the ears that truly want to hear simply because it is him speaking.
Once one has set their intentions on hearing God, the next, and obvious, step is to listen. Understanding that God can speak through anything, we can become the kind of people who listen for God in everything. Thus James Dobson's prayer: "Lord, I need to know what you want me to do, and I am listening. Please speak to me through my friends, books, magazines I pick up and read, and through circumstances." If one prays a similar prayer, the rest of their day could be spent listening while going about their daily business.
The Epistle of James provides sound advice for those who are asking and listening for God's voice. Our listening must be rooted in faith that God will speak. Silence is not a "No," as some people have said. But we ask and wait for a response "in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:6-8).But what do we do with silence? Here is sound advice:
"If I am given nothing, my next step is to say, 'Is there anything in me that is preventing you from speaking clearly about this matter? If there is something in my attitude, please tell me.' That answer may come in various ways. I don’t believe God messes with our minds. He is not mean, and if he has something to say to me, he will say it."
Willard hastens to point out that there may still be times when we do not hear God's voice, and it may not be because we are out of tune with him. It may be that it is an occasion where God is growing you, and testing your character, by letting you decide. Says Willard, "He calls us to responsible citizenship in his kingdom by saying—in effect or in reality—as often as possible, “My will for you in this case is that you decide on your own."
This is where life with God becomes a life that is more than guidance, as the chapter is named. This is a life in which one has moved from communication with God, to communion with God, into complete union with God. "A child cannot develop into a responsible, competent human being if he or she is always told what to do... Moreover, a child's character cannot be known—even to herself—until she is turned loose to do what she wants. It is precisely what she wants and how she handles those wants that both reveal and make her the person she is." Since God is interested in the kinds of people we become, he will parent us well. This means when he has clear advice that will be good for us to have, he will give it. It also means that when no advice is coming to us, that is what is best for us.
This image of God as the best parent will help us understand the kind of life we are invited to have with him. It is a life filled with utter confidence because of the goodness, reliability, wisdom, and power of our Heavenly Father. Even in the darkest hours, when it seems like we have been abandoned, we can still rest our hope in the faithful and loving God. We can, with Shadrach, Meshach, and Agednego, say, “our God whom we serve is able to deliver us... and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not... we still will not serve your gods" (Daniel 3:17-18 ). That kind of statement comes from one who has learned to trust God, even when things do not go their way. Such a person can stand firm, trusting that God is with them in the furnace.
I'll let Willard have the final say as we close out his book, and I close out the summary of his book. He finishes by providing some final, helpful, steps for those who want to continue developing their life with God.
Foundational Steps
We intend, plan and make provision to do what we know to be morally right and what we know to be explicitly commanded by God—so far as it lies within our understanding and conscious will.
At the impulse of the Spirit of God, we do service to the good wherever it may appear. In so doing, we venture into the fullness of the new life in Christ beyond our merely natural powers and rely on God’s upholding power.
Steps to Hearing God
Meditate constantly on God’s principles for life as set forth in the Scriptures, always striving to penetrate more deeply into their meaning and into their application for our own lives.
We pay close attention to what is happening in our life for God’s communications in our mind and in our heart.
We pray and speak to God constantly and specifically about all matters that concern us.
We listen, carefully and deliberately for God, paying close attention to what we hear.
In those cases where God does not speak to you on the matter concerned, take the following steps:
Ask God if some hindrance is within you, informing you in whatever way he chooses. Be quiet and listen in the inner forum of your mind for any indication that you are blocking his word. But do not endlessly pursue this. In prayer, set a specific length of time for the inquiry about hindrances: normally no more than three days. Believe that if a problem exists, God will make it clear to you. Share the robust confidence of Abraham Lincoln, who said, “I am satisfied that, when the Almighty wants me to do, or not to do, a particular thing, he finds a way of letting me know it.”
Take counsel from at least two people whose relationship with God you respect, preferably those who are not your buddies. This may be done in a group setting if it does not concern an inherently private matter.
Correct any causes for why God’s word could not come. Do this mercilessly. Whatever it is. Just do it.
Act on what seems best to you if you cannot find such a cause. Do this after considering the itemized details of each alternative. If certain alternatives seem equally desirable, then select one as you wish. This will rarely be necessary, but your confidence, remember, is in the Lord who goes with you, who is with his trusting children even if they blunder and flounder. In this instance you may not know God in his specific word to you, but you will know him in his faithfulness. “His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lam 3: 22-23). These words were written by the prophet Jeremiah in a time of utter failure, when the guiding hand of God was totally hidden from Israel and his punishing hand was raised against them.
Thank you for taking the time to read these summaries of mine. I would advise reading Willard's book on your own, so that you can get his ideas straight from him, as I may have misinterpreted his meaning. But I have written these with the intention of helping those who do not have the time to read through his book. I hope they were of some help to you.
Peace and Goodness.