Listening to God

 

 

 

It's been a few days since I checked in last, but I was contemplating that concept of meditation and listening for inspiration from my spiritual advisor.  

If you pay attention, you can actually hear God talking to you. 

Occasionally I find my thoughts disrupted by a different thought that is almost in direct opposition to the train track my thinking is actually taking. These disruptions are, most often, my spiritual advisor trying to point out another way of looking at the situation. As usual, when left to my own designs I have a tendency to look at things a bit more negatively than I really should. For example:

 Several years ago I was visiting a friend in Tulsa. I was staying in a hotel on the north side of town. In the course of my stay I had discovered an early morning (6:30AM) meeting of a recovery group located on the south side of town. I had left sufficiently early enough so I was in no real hurry to get to my destination. I was traveling south on a major street that went from the north side to the south side of town.

During the course of the trip, I kept hitting the traffic lights as they changed from green to red. I am a conscientious driver, so I came to a complete stop and waited for the light to change. There were two lanes and I drove on the right side. In the left lane came a driver who would stop at the red light, but then instead of waiting for it to change, would immediately go, running the red light.

I wasn't traveling over the speed limit (I don't think..). But somehow I gained on the guy and passed him. Sure enough. the next light changed to red before I got to it and I came to a stop and waited. The same driver in the other lane would, again, come to a stop at the light, but go before it turned green. After the third time I mused 'What are you in such a hurry for?"

In a rare instance, I think I actually heard the voice of God. At any rate, the voice asked: "Are you angry because he is getting away with it, or are you angry because you don't think you would?" And it got me to thinking. Sure enough, if I had pulled that stunt, there would have been more red lights, this time behind me.

Being open and receptive to inspiration has a two way aspect to it. You can be encouraged for the good deeds you do, but you may also receive some insight when your mind might not be going on the right road. The great thing about this is there is always time to change the road you're on, to take a cue from Led Zeppelin. (Please, no comments about what Robert Plant may have been referring to in those lyrics.)

The main essence of this kind of inspiration is that it can help you along the way to achieving a state of serenity. I personally don't want to get into a long, drawn out rant in my mind of the injustice I perceive from others. There is nothing I can do about how others interact with the world. But sometimes, as I am wont to say, God has to hit me upside the head with a baseball bat to get my attention because I am way too focused on things that shouldn't really concern me.

So, when I do get that bump on the noggin, I have to come to attention and look at the situation for what it really is, not for what I perceive it to be on my own. 

May your spiritual journey be fruitful

Quiggy