Finding Peace: Hearing God's Voice Amidst Distraction

 

Summary

In reflecting on the life and teachings of Thomas Kelly, we are reminded of the profound transformation that can occur when we seek intimacy with God. Kelly, a mid-20th-century philosopher, experienced significant personal failures, including the inability to obtain a second PhD and the emotional turmoil surrounding World War II. These setbacks, however, became the catalyst for a deeper spiritual journey, leading him to articulate a life centered on the still, small voice of God. His writings, particularly in "Testament of Devotion," reveal a stark contrast between his earlier and later works, highlighting the peace and power that come from living a life attuned to God's presence.

In today's fast-paced world, many Christians struggle with distractedness and a constant state of agitation. We are often caught in an "intolerable scramble of panting feverishness," as Kelly described. To counter this, we must cultivate practices of solitude, silence, and service, which help us hear God's voice and calm our restless spirits. The challenge lies in overcoming our fear of boredom and our addiction to external stimulation. By learning to sit quietly and listen, we open ourselves to a deeper understanding of God's voice and presence in our lives.

Hearing God's voice is not about constant communication but about recognizing the quality and content of His voice. Just as we learn to recognize the voices of those we love through experience, we come to know God's voice by its emotional tone and the effect it has on us. This recognition brings a life of unhurried peace and power, where we are not frantic because we trust that God is at the helm.

To hear from God, we must ask Him to speak and then watch for His presence in our daily lives. This requires patience and a willingness to wait for clarity. If we do not receive an immediate answer, it may be an invitation to make our own decisions, trusting that God is with us in our choices. This process of listening and responding to God's voice is essential for spiritual maturity and helps us discern His will amidst the noise of the world.

Key Takeaways:

- Transformation through Failure: Thomas Kelly's life illustrates how personal failures can lead to profound spiritual transformation. His setbacks became opportunities to deepen his intimacy with God, resulting in a life centered on the still, small voice of God. This teaches us that our failures can be stepping stones to a more meaningful relationship with God. [24:48]

- Overcoming Distractedness: In our modern world, many of us struggle with constant distraction and agitation. By practicing solitude, silence, and service, we can calm our restless spirits and become more attentive to God's voice. This requires a willingness to embrace moments of boredom and silence, trusting that they lead to deeper spiritual insights. [26:33]

- Recognizing God's Voice: Just as we learn to recognize the voices of loved ones, we come to know God's voice through experience. It is characterized by its emotional tone and the peace it brings. This recognition allows us to live a life of unhurried peace and power, trusting that God is guiding us. [29:42]

- Asking and Expecting Guidance: To hear from God, we must ask for His guidance and then watch for His presence in our daily lives. This requires patience and a willingness to wait for clarity. If we do not receive an immediate answer, it may be an invitation to make our own decisions, trusting that God is with us. [33:02]

- Maturity in Decision-Making: Spiritual maturity involves understanding that God sometimes allows us to make our own decisions. This is not a sign of His absence but an invitation to grow in our relationship with Him. By trusting in His presence, we can navigate life's challenges with confidence and peace. [37:02]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [23:44] - Thomas Kelly's Life and Failures
- [24:48] - Intimacy with God
- [25:24] - The Intolerable Scramble
- [26:33] - Distractedness in Modern Life
- [27:19] - Overcoming Boredom
- [28:22] - The Substance of God's Voice
- [29:42] - Recognizing God's Voice
- [30:26] - Life from the Center
- [31:36] - Hearing from God
- [32:31] - Seeking Guidance
- [33:02] - Asking and Expecting
- [35:15] - Clarity in Communication
- [37:02] - Maturity in Decision-Making
- [39:16] - Conversational Relationship with God

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. 1 Kings 19:11-13 - The story of Elijah hearing the "still small voice" of God.
2. Psalm 46:10 - "Be still, and know that I am God."
3. Isaiah 30:21 - "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left."

#### Observation Questions
1. How did Thomas Kelly's personal failures lead to a transformation in his spiritual life? [24:48]
2. What are some practices mentioned in the sermon that can help us hear God's voice amidst the distractions of modern life? [26:16]
3. According to the sermon, how can recognizing God's voice bring peace and power into our lives? [30:26]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the role of patience and waiting in hearing from God? [33:02]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 19:11-13 illustrate the concept of hearing God's "still small voice"?
2. In what ways does Psalm 46:10 encourage believers to find peace in God's presence?
3. How does the sermon describe the emotional tone and effect of God's voice, and why is this important for spiritual maturity? [29:42]
4. What does the sermon imply about the relationship between spiritual maturity and decision-making? [37:02]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a personal failure in your life. How might this experience be an opportunity for spiritual growth and deeper intimacy with God? [24:48]
2. Identify a specific distraction in your life that prevents you from hearing God's voice. What steps can you take this week to minimize this distraction? [26:33]
3. Think of a time when you felt God's peace in a situation. How did recognizing His voice change your perspective or actions? [30:26]
4. How can you incorporate practices of solitude, silence, and service into your daily routine to better hear God's voice? [26:16]
5. When faced with a decision, how do you typically seek God's guidance? What changes can you make to ensure you are open to His direction? [33:02]
6. Consider a decision you need to make soon. How can you apply the sermon’s teaching on asking for and expecting God's guidance in this situation? [33:02]
7. How can you cultivate a conversational relationship with God, where you are open to His presence even when He is not speaking directly? [39:55]

Devotional

Day 1: Transformation Through Failure
Thomas Kelly's life exemplifies how personal failures can lead to profound spiritual transformation. Despite significant setbacks, such as not obtaining a second PhD and the emotional turmoil of World War II, Kelly's failures became catalysts for a deeper spiritual journey. He learned to center his life on the still, small voice of God, as articulated in his writings, particularly in "Testament of Devotion." This transformation teaches us that our failures can be stepping stones to a more meaningful relationship with God. By embracing our shortcomings, we open ourselves to the possibility of spiritual growth and a deeper intimacy with God. [24:48]

"For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity." (Proverbs 24:16, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a recent failure or setback in your life. How can you view it as an opportunity for spiritual growth and deeper intimacy with God?


Day 2: Overcoming Distractedness
In today's fast-paced world, many people struggle with constant distraction and agitation. Thomas Kelly described this as an "intolerable scramble of panting feverishness." To counter this, we must cultivate practices of solitude, silence, and service, which help us hear God's voice and calm our restless spirits. This requires a willingness to embrace moments of boredom and silence, trusting that they lead to deeper spiritual insights. By intentionally creating space for quiet reflection, we can become more attentive to God's presence and guidance in our lives. [26:33]

"But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me." (Psalm 131:2, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one specific way you can incorporate solitude and silence into your daily routine this week. How might this practice help you become more attentive to God's voice?


Day 3: Recognizing God's Voice
Recognizing God's voice is not about constant communication but about understanding the quality and content of His voice. Just as we learn to recognize the voices of those we love through experience, we come to know God's voice by its emotional tone and the peace it brings. This recognition allows us to live a life of unhurried peace and power, trusting that God is guiding us. By cultivating a deeper awareness of God's presence, we can navigate life's challenges with confidence and assurance. [29:42]

"And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left." (Isaiah 30:21, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a recent decision or situation where you felt God's guidance. How did you recognize His voice, and what impact did it have on your peace and confidence?


Day 4: Asking and Expecting Guidance
To hear from God, we must ask for His guidance and then watch for His presence in our daily lives. This requires patience and a willingness to wait for clarity. If we do not receive an immediate answer, it may be an invitation to make our own decisions, trusting that God is with us. This process of listening and responding to God's voice is essential for spiritual maturity and helps us discern His will amidst the noise of the world. By trusting in God's presence, we can navigate life's uncertainties with faith and assurance. [33:02]

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." (James 1:5, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a decision you are currently facing. Have you asked God for guidance? How can you remain open and patient as you wait for His direction?


Day 5: Maturity in Decision-Making
Spiritual maturity involves understanding that God sometimes allows us to make our own decisions. This is not a sign of His absence but an invitation to grow in our relationship with Him. By trusting in His presence, we can navigate life's challenges with confidence and peace. This maturity in decision-making requires us to rely on our understanding of God's character and His promises, knowing that He is with us in every step we take. As we grow in our faith, we learn to discern His will and make choices that align with His purposes. [37:02]

"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." (Proverbs 16:3, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a recent decision where you felt God allowed you to choose freely. How did you discern His presence in that process, and what did you learn about trusting Him in your decision-making?

Quotes

Thomas Kelly is an amazing person to me, 20th Century mid-20th Century figure of philosopher philosopher indeed, and a published philosopher yeah that's amazing, technical journals yeah he really got into those things but that's not what we really remember him for, he said he wanted to make his life a miracle, and he set out in that regard but then had several huge failures one of them surrounded World War II and just the tragedy of what happened during that era, the other was he wanted to get a second PhD can you imagine he had one but he wanted a second but then he had these woozy spells when he was doing his oral exams and they failed him I believe it was Harvard and uh, he thought his life was over in fact the president of the college where he was walked with him all night long around the football field because he was afraid he might you know commit suicide, and then it was after those two kind of crushing events that he began to speak in a whole other way that intimacy with God that awareness of the still small voice of God and that's what was compiled after his death he died young and they took some of his uh lectures really and put them together and we see that in Testament of devotion and I have read some of the material that he wrote you know before that time and then the material that he wrote after those crises they're they're like night and day and this Testament of the devotion is the best known yes another called Eternal promise but I just wanted to read little passage for us because here is one sentence that I just live off of sometimes because it describes me so easily, he says I find God never guides us into an intolerable scramble of panting feverishness. [00:23:29]

For us if we're going to be attentive to the still small voice, we have to find ways to learn to be to let go of that intolerable scramble of Pantene feverishness that's why it's so important to understand the connection between hearing the voice of God and practices such as Solitude and silence and also service is very good to calm the feverishness, well for today I think one of the deepest problems we deal with with Christians is distractedness just that sense of constant agitation, and uh, I know John you work with that all of the time in the congregation you work with and, how how to help people how to help ourselves to let go of that kind of constant scramble of panting feverish well we need to tell them an exhibit the calming effects of hearing God speak and encourage them to believe that that's for them also because normally that's a part of their feverishnesses they don't think that anything can come to them from God and stabilize their world so that they don't have to carry on well and it's a it's a complex Dynamic we're so afraid of boredom. [00:25:35]

You know I think it was Eugene Peterson who wrote that uh the ancient Greeks did not actually have a word for boredom, and we look at life in the ancient world and think how boring but it wasn't boring to them it's just we have become so dependent on external stimulation that our capacity to manage our attention has become enormously weak addicted to Adrenaline yeah all that stuff yeah and there has to be you know an iPod uh television a computer something going on or else if I don't have something to carry to occupy my mind then I will be bored and so I think part of listening to the still Small Voice that's very hard for folks is I have to be willing to get to the other side of boredom yeah right I have to be willing to go off and be bored that's a hard thing to ask of people Dallas that passage from Pascal about that. [00:27:21]

Well he has this wonderful statement about if people just knew that all of the Troubles of humanity would be solved if people knew how to go sit and go the inability to sit in a room by themselves yeah and it's actually true because once you begin to take yourself off of the outer stimulation then you discover a whole different world, and there are a few things that help you with that more than learning to hear God's voice in your heart and in your mind because all of a sudden with that kind of word comes substance again that is boredom is actually a reflection of emptiness, and you you can't act you activities and distractions such as Pascal always does such a wonderful job talking about how kings and others have to have people around to distraction, it doesn't cure the problem it just puts it off, when you begin to experience the substance of your own soul and of God speaking in your soul then suddenly you're not empty anymore and that's where what Kelly writes about the center what's at the center of yourself was so helpful and the idea which I had not thought about before that not just with god with any person we always learn their voice by experience and that's your teaching about the the quality of the voice of God and the spirit yes in the voice of God and the content you can you can isolate some factors in it and that helps because it will help you distinguish that voice from other voice right but then you simply come to know that voice by its overall quality just like you know the voice of others that you're familiar yeah it's an amazing thing you know yeah we don't have the physical part of it with God but the other aspects of it the content and the emotional tone to it and the effect that it has on us we have that to recognize him from, and Kelly had that, and it it calmed his life and he writes in this little book, life from the center is a life of unhurried peace and Power, it is simple it is Serene it is amazing it is triumphant it is radiant, it takes no time but it occupies all our time, and it makes our life programs new and overcoming, we need not get frantic, God is at the helm, and when our little day is done we lie down quietly in peace, for all is well isn't that beautiful. [00:28:22]

Now I want to say a few things about how I do this, and uh, just hopefully it might be of use to you, when I want to hear from God, I am very straightforwardly ask him to speak to me, and then I watch, I watch what's happening, as I go through my days, when I'm studying or talking with others or maybe in a waiting room reading a magazine or something, I watch for that special kind of presence in thought to come to me, so first of all you ask would you like God to speak to you about something and in this case we're talking mainly about Direction, the direction might be on the other hand in terms of understanding something not necessarily what you're trying to do it could be perhaps just Enlightenment that you're seeking, so you ask Corey, you don't understand something Lord help me to understand this, uh you need to teach you say what shall I teach, and so it's a broad range of things but normally it comes up with reference to what should I do I'm seeking guidance, and it's amazing how often we don't ask for it, and I've had to take myself to task many times over my failure to ask for what I need, but then when you ask you expect it and you watch for it, and my experience is that it often comes when I'm, I'm not really obsessed with that problem maybe I'm crossing the street or driving my car or something of that sort and I realize something is coming to me, then I pay attention, and if I'm in doubt I say Lord would you make that clearer, and it's been important for me to understand that that is not a reproach to God, to say uh well I didn't understand i, what does that mean, that's just the natural way we would relate to another person, another human being if they don't if they say something to us and we don't understand it we ask for clarity, and that's what I would do, no if and I usually will put a limit two days three days, say Lord would you please let me know in the next three days such and such, now suppose, I am given nothing, or at least so far as I can tell, my next step is to say is there anything in me that is preventing you speaking clearly to me about this matter, and then again, I listened, I don't just go on I set time limits on these things, and I believe that that's what we should do, because the Lord is able to speak to us if he wishes to, if there is something in my attitude or something I'm doing that would seem to prevent him speaking to me I expect him to tell me, and that may come in various ways, but I don't believe that God messes with our minds, he's very clear he's very straightforward he's not mean he's not incapable, and if he has something to say to me he'll say it that's my faith, and I believe that I have found in practice that that works well, now suppose after that, there is nothing that I can identify as a word to the effect that I'm doing something I shouldn't be doing have an attitude I shouldn't have, um, then I take that as God's indication that I should decide on my own, that's something you may, uh depending on your experience and background you may have some trouble with that, but when God leaves you to decide on your own, that is your assurance that he will be with you in your decision, now if you have come to the view that I've been trying to press on you, is that God is preparing us for a life of initiative, on our own where what we want, because sometimes, when you say to God what do you want in effect he says what do you want, and once again you if you're into raising children developing people you understand how important that is, and if you have an a problem with that to where you think well God would never do that well then you need to rethink your theology, because back of all of the things we've been discussing is that issue of our theology what are we thinking about God, I know that God will be with me, when he doesn't tell me what to do, that his being with me is not a matter of him telling me what to do and if he doesn't tell me what to do then he's not with me, his presence with me is known in different ways than just him specifying a course of action, so you need to have a breadth of understanding of how God speaks, of familiarity and that will put you in a position to act and and in other other things I haven't had time to say much about this uh or I think I mentioned it once is so important that you uh know what this is so that when other people tell you that God wants you to do certain things you will know how to respond to that, the harmful Authority, that is exercised in the churches and beyond that in society you have to be in a position to know well enough what it is for God to speak that you can respond to people who are trying to lay harmful things on you and others in your fellowship, and the only way you can do that is by having a confident knowledge of how God works, even when he doesn't speak, now, that has worked well for me, and I can recommend that to you on the basis of my experience and, what I believe, is the picture that comes out of scripture, of God drawing people to maturity, both in the old and in the New Testament, and it also fits in with what you can find out by reading the lives of those who have lived, in the Manifest presence of God, and in all other cases it is a life lived in a conversational relationship, that doesn't mean he's talking all the time no conversation is like that, and then you can explore your own experience to test whether or not what I've said to you about the voice of God and how you come to know it and then how you live with it, is true. [00:31:36]

Chatbot

  • I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Feb 22, 2023. Do you have any questions about it?

Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?