Does God still talk to us? How do we know?

Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord under Eli. The word of the Lord was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was. Then the Lord called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” and ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down. The Lord called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Eli said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. The Lord called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” 1 Samuel 3:1-9

This week’s question from Tony Jones’ e-book Questions that Haunt Christianity: Volume 1 is “Why Do I Not Experience God?”:

… Why do I not experience God like I have been taught I should? Why don’t I hear his “voice?” …If Christianity is for real, why am I not able to have experiences of God?

Many people who believe in God have wrestled with this question at one time or another. If God is real – if my faith is real – then shouldn’t I be able to hear or experience God in some tangible way? Some responded to the question by saying, “you have to repent your sins and come with a pure heart” or “you’re not listening/praying hard enough.” Some suggested practicing certain spiritual disciplines. In other words, “It must be something you’re not doing right.”

Tony Jones’ responded in “I Don’t Hear God Either”: 

The problem with those answers, of course, is that the audibility of God’s voice depends on me, and that can’t possibly be right. If the God of the Universe is intent on communicating with me, then S/He can surely break through all of the chatter that surrounds my everyday life. … I do not think it’s reasonable to believe that the ability of God to communicate is somehow contingent on our ability to hear. 

If God does communicate with human beings, then God is entirely able to do that with no help from us. I realize that there are biblical examples of God coming in the “still, small voice,” but generally God shows up in much bigger ways: pillars of cloud fire, descending clouds and doves, loud voices, and a presence that splits rocks and lights shrubs on fire. In other words, the Bible portrays a God who cannot be ignored or overlooked. 

Maybe the “problem” isn’t that we’re not properly preparing ourselves to hear or experience God. Maybe the issue is that we haven’t learned to recognize God’s voice or presence in our lives. Samuel needed Eli’s help to recognize that God was calling him. Today, hearing voices is more likely to be considered a sign of an overactive imagination or insanity rather than God speaking. If all we hear about are the burning bushes, angels who have to begin with “Do not be afraid”, talking donkeys, disembodied hands writing on the wall, and strange visions, we might miss the whisper of ordinary life.  

Tony Jones asked, “If God does communicate directly with us, isn’t it most likely that the communication would be un-ignorable?”

But, if we don’t talk with each other about how we have heard or experienced God in our lives – and how we determined it was God – how will others learn to recognize it? 

God hasn't come to me in a voice that says, “God speaking. Here’s what I want you to do.” And God doesn't often come when I sit in quiet meditation, prayer, and contemplation (actually, sleep usually comes to me then). I'm more likely to encounter God when I'm actively reading or writing. It's amazing how often I plan these weekly posts only to find them going in another direction once I start writing them. I've heard what I believe is God’s voice in something I've unexpectedly encountered in the Bible or another book, or in something someone else has said – wisdom that unexpectedly goes to the heart of something I've been turning over in my head. And the only reason I attribute it to God and not to my subconscious is that the advice is usually something I wouldn't come up with or choose to do on my own (maybe not a sure-fire measuring stick). 

I've encountered God in the faces and lives of those I think I’m helping, whether they are kids in the youth group, people I've served food or helped with a home repair project, or my own kids. When I realize it’s not about what I’m doing, but what God is doing among us, I tune into God’s work here and now. And I realize there’s more going on than I imagined. 

Jones closes with the example of Mother Teresa. After having an intense vision in which she felt Jesus call her to the ministry that would be her life, she never had another vision like that again. She wrote to Rev. Michael Van Der Peet, “Jesus has a very special love for you. As for me, the silence and the emptiness is so great that I look and do not see, listen and do not hear.” 

In her struggle, Tony Jones finds faith to continue to believe in God and Jesus. Maybe that’s also one of Mother Teresa’s many legacies. 

Now your turn: Have you experienced God speaking to you? How did you recognize it as God and not as your imagination or wishful thinking? What advice would you give to someone who says they’re not sure they've heard or experienced God in their life?

I toss out this week’s question not knowing for sure if I’ll be able to read or add to comments as I head off to scout camp for the week. But we’ll jump in all the same and, hopefully, I’ll find a signal and time to check in during the chaotic week.