Four Books on Hearing God

     I have to post early this week because I am on the road again beginning tomorrow at 4 a.m. (ouch!).
    Anyone who has been reading my blog knows that I believe that hearing God on an ongoing basis (and responding to what you hear) is at the heart of an intimate life with God (and that leads to participating with Him in the joyful expansion of His Kingdom). So...I wanted to write a few thoughts about four books about hearing God that I have read and see if some of you would like to add your comments. Each of the books brings its own flavor, and there are many more out there, of course, but these are four that have impacted me to some degree.
     If I were to recommend only one book on this subject, it would be Mark and Patti Virkler's Dialogue with God. This book has been around for quite a while, and there's a good reason for that: it really helps people learn how to hear God in an easy to understand manner that is centered around intimacy with Him.
     Almost as high on my list would be Dallas Willard's book, Hearing God. I just finished reading this one, and it is really, really good. Written originally around the topic of "guidance," it clearly goes well beyond that narrow aspect of hearing God's voice. Indeed, the subtitle now reads "Developing a conversational relationship with God." Dallas Willard put some amazing "one liners" in this book, and one of my favorites is "Generally speaking, God will not compete for our attention." (p. 90). I love that line! It highlights Dallas' conviction that the "still, small voice" is God's primary means of communicating with us (as opposed to more dramatic means), and it also underscores the need for stillness and intentionality in listening to God. One shortcoming I see in this book, however, is that it almost downplays the supernatural too much and that it doesn't highlight the continuing conversational nature of hearing God in the same way that Virkler does.
     Another great, albeit rather long, book on hearing God is Surprised by the Voice of God by Jack Deere. This is an incredible read, filled with great stories and much practical wisdom. It's only drawback for me is that it's quite long and addresses some things that may not be relevant to everyone (because of Jack's background, he spends quite a bit of time addressing those who don't believe in the supernatural for today's believers).
     Finally, I just recently read Walking With God by John Eldredge. This is a "chatty" sort of book, written deliberately in a very personal tone. Its strengths are its emphasis upon conversational and continuing communication with God and an awareness of the supernatural. I struggled some, however, with the chatty, baby-boomer style of this book--not sure why. But I was encouraged by John's transparency and especially by the journey towards maturity that he describes in this book. And because I know many people will read this book, I smile!
     That's it. Got to go pack! One final thought from Tom: If all of your hearing God relates to guidance and correction, you are missing much of what makes for healthy relationships! Healthy relationships have an exchange of more than information about direction and/or correction. There is encouragement, sharing dreams, listening to the heart's desires, etc. Papa wants that kind of communication with you!

Grace and good hearing to you,

Tom, one of Abba's children