Listening prayer can be a great way to silence our inner world to make space to hear what God might be saying to us. This practice includes listening to God rather than talking to God and telling him your needs. It is a response to God’s agenda for the prayer time, rather than ours. This act of surrender takes practice but can quiet the noise and make it easier to hear that still small voice of God.
Listening Prayer
In her book on Spiritual Disciplines, Adele Ahlberg Calhoun identifies the God-given fruit of this practice:
- prayers that don’t dictate to God
- learning to recognize God’s voice
- trusting God to speak-in God’s own time
- (improves) our listening skills
- (allows) for a more quiet center (p. 266)
Listening Prayer Practice
When utilizing this practice of listening prayer, we recommend having a journal open and ready to write down any new insights or things that you hear from God during this time. This practice will take time to develop. We suggest you start with 3-5 minutes at first, and gradually increasing that to 15-20 minutes.
Things to focus on during this exercise of listening prayer
Guidance and Discernment
Use listening prayer as a tool for seeking guidance and discernment in your life. Set aside dedicated time to quiet your mind, open your heart, and listen for the voice of the divine.
Personal Reflection and Insight
Do you have a question or something specific you want to reflect on during this time? Use the time to explore anything that has been brought to your attention over the past 24 hours. Allow them to arise without judgment or analysis. Our minds are prone to wander, and this wandering allows us to make connections that we may not have made otherwise.
Intercession and Intersession
Offer listening prayer as a form of intercession or intersession on behalf of others. Set aside time to listen prayerfully for the needs, concerns, and joys of those around you. As you attune your heart to the needs of others, trust that your prayers will be heard and that the divine presence will move in response to your petitions.
Creative Inspiration and Expression
Use listening prayer as a source of creative inspiration and expression. Allow yourself to enter into a state of receptive silence, opening your heart and mind to the flow of divine inspiration. Trust that creative ideas, insights, and solutions will emerge as you listen deeply to the promptings of the Spirit.
Deepening Relationship with God
Cultivate listening prayer as a means of deepening your relationship with God. Allow yourself to rest in the loving embrace of divine love, knowing that in the sacred space of listening prayer, you are held, cherished, and known.
Summary
As we embrace the practice of listening prayer, may we cultivate a spirit of receptivity and openness, allowing God to speak to us in unexpected ways and to guide us along in deep work and healing. May we carry the blessings of listening prayer with us into every moment of our lives, knowing that in the silence of our hearts, we are always held, cherished, and known by the One who whispers our name.
For more on other types of connecting with God, be sure to check out our posts on Breath Prayer found here and Prayer Labyrinths found here.
Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun
About the Author:
Lisa Franklin, LCSW
Therapist & Director
Lisa Franklin, LCSW, helps highly sensitive persons move from overwhelmed to empowered using EMDR, CPT, and attachment work. Currently accepting clients on a limited basis.
She’s also available for speaking engagements on mental health topics.
