Encountering Voices in the Silence of Contemplative Prayer
By Pastor Larry DeBruyn
Through practicing the discipline of solitude and silence, contemplative spiritualists hope to hear God personally speak to them. As one nationally known personality stated on the Be Still DVD, “intimacy automatically breeds revelation.”[1] But if a voice speaks, there is some question regarding its identity. Therefore, in the video’s same segment, “Fear of Silence,” Richard Foster offers advice about how to discern who might communicate in the stillness. He said,
Learning to distinguish the voice of God . . . from just human voices within us . . . comes in much the same way that we learn any other voice. Satan pushes and condemns. God draws and encourages. And we can know the difference.[2]
Though there could be others, Richard Foster admits to a cacophony of possible voices that might speak: first, human voices from within and without (A source that could involve hearing oneself speak, in which case, contemplators would be listening to themselves.); second, Satan’s voice; and third, God’s voice.
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